Changes Are Coming, and AI Will Transform the Way We Work

As artificial intelligence continues to take root, a future where humans and robotics work together will become a reality. By 2025, the AI market is forecasted to reach a whopping $190 billion. We can already see AI in many aspects of our daily lives, for example, when shopping, interacting with customer care, etc. In the coming years, artificial intelligence and automation techs will affect jobs, businesses, commerce, and life in society as a whole.

But what impacts will AI have on jobs? Will it take up jobs or create them? In this article, we’ll tell you all this plus several other changes to expect from AI in the coming days:

AI and Automation Is Creating Opportunities in the Economy

There have been rapid innovations in automation and AI in 2018 and 2019. For instance, now we have advanced robots, machine learning chatbots, and autonomous systems. And organizations are reaping the benefits of these technologies as they offer value for different goods and services. Corporates from various industries are already leveraging AI in personalizing utility recommendations, enhancing customers care, identifying anomalies in the production process, detecting fraud, etc.

Implementation of AI will also lead to significant improvements in the global economy, thereby increasing prosperity. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, artificial intelligence has the capability of reversing the rapidly declining labor productivity in the US and some European countries. McKinsey estimates that productivity could grow by 2% yearly because of digital technologies like AI.

Apart from businesses and the general economy, artificial intelligence also brings new possibilities in solving societal issues. It can be implemented and yield great success in material science, climate studies, research in medicine and medical fields, among other disciplines.

AI Will Enhance the Workforce and Create Jobs

While automation is not new, there have been widespread worries that machines will displace people from their jobs. These predictions have caused anxiety and to some extent, reluctance to embrace artificial intelligence. But do these claims hold water? What’s true is the impact of artificial intelligence will be felt in the labor force as well. Robots will replace some employment opportunities, but still, there will be more jobs created by automation. According to a 2018 World Economic Forum report, AI will bring about 133 million new roles as compared to the 75 million it will displace. Moreover, in most jobs, only certain portions/ activities can be automated rather than the entire job.

Moreover, with an increase in economic prosperity as a consequence of the adoption of AI, the demand for workers will also grow. Many new occupations will come up in the future. Already, there are several AI jobs in machine learning and deep learning in 2019. Furthermore, there are lots of jobs that are safe from automation. These include computer engineering, mechanical engineering, architecture, social work, mental healthcare, occupational therapists, dentists, surgeons, physicians, etc.

There is no need to worry about there not being enough opportunities for work in the coming years. Over time the labor market will tweak accordingly to the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and judging from patterns in history, technology has always created new positions.

AI will change the Education and Skills for Workplace of the Future

Apart from artificial intelligence taking jobs and creating more, it will change the nature of employment roles as machines complement the human workforce. With partial automation of tasks, many job responsibilities will be reconfigured. For example, jobs that involve repetitive tasks will turn into managing and operating automated systems. In medical practice, doctors will depend on AI algorithms to analyze patients’ scans to achieve a high degree of accuracy.

As jobs change, we will also witness the following:

• The capabilities workers will require in the future will shift.
• The demand for technological abilities and qualifications will soar. Likewise, so will critical thinking skills, creativity, social, and emotional capabilities. Already employers are seeking candidates who possess essential digital traits such as data analysis. This trend will continue to grow.
• Job seekers who possess in-demand skills will become more marketable. Taking courses to gain these new skills will give workers a competitive edge.
• Many employees will start changing professions. Case in point, some will shift within organizations and industries, on the one hand. On the other, some will transition across sectors.
• Change in the workplace and workflows people adapt to working alongside machines.

Artificial Intelligence and Jobs: High-Paying Jobs Will Grow

One of the sectors that are set to benefit most from automation will be the high paying jobs. High-salaried roles, especially those related to technology and medicine will rise sharply as artificial intelligence becomes more commonplace. More skilled people will be absorbed in new high paying opportunities such as data science and machine learning. However, the increase in work will also be seen in low wage jobs that AI can’t replace, such as nursing and teaching.

AI Technology Will Drive Diversity in Recruitment

Unconscious bias can hinder inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. Biases are often reported in recruitment, performance evaluation, and even promotions. Research has proven that diverse workplaces are more effective than those that are not. According to a recent survey, companies that have ethnically and culturally diverse management teams are 33 percent more likely to earn higher than average profits.

Artificial intelligence also has the potential to streamline the recruitment process. Incorporating artificial intelligence and employment will help in eliminating bias during resume screening and candidate interviewing. AI can also help analyze employee performance and award promotions in a non-biased manner. As a result, human resource managers can shift their attention to developing strategic initiatives.

Machine learning will most likely also be used in HR processes to assess where biases come in so that they can be acted upon. By flagging biases, companies eliminate these challenges at work by changing the way they do things and embracing new methods that promote diversity and fairness. Already, we can see AI-enhanced programs such as facial recognition infiltrating the job market, and changing the recruitment is conducted.

AI in the Workplace Will Increase Efficiency of Tasks

Artificial intelligence will also increase the productivity of the workforce of the future. By automating manual and tedious tasks that don’t require much critical thinking, machines will free up human labor. With these mundane responsibilities out of the way, employees can focus on vital customer activities that need collaboration and a human touch. Machines will the manual tasks more efficiently, thereby allowing managers to emphasize creativity and innovation in their human teams. The ripple effect of this change is that employees will be happier in their jobs, which will then lead to better customer experiences. Additionally, workers will make more efficient use of their time.

Conclusion on Future of Artificial Intelligence on Work

The implementation of artificial intelligence across the board is inevitable. Soon, most industries will be adopting automation and smart machines in their processes. However, this trend does not mean doom for workers. These new smart technologies will create almost twice as many jobs as they will take up. There will also be lots of new careers in artificial intelligence that will need humans to take up.

Furthermore, Armed with the new skills to put on your resume, you will increase your prospects in this age of advancing artificial intelligence. AI is increasing human intelligence by artificial means or replacing humans input altogether. Rather, artificial intelligence will only complement human capabilities.