Will Artificial Intelligence kill your job?

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𝐀𝐈 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐬.𝐢𝐨

5 min readMay 7, 2023

With the recent rise of artificial intelligence, many people wonder if this will be the end of conventional employment as we know it. And it is truly a legitimate question, based on a real and genuine fear, for a technology that we see gaining more ground every day.

Artificial intelligence and fiction

As a very brief review, let’s talk about how artificial intelligence has been in the popular imagination for decades. Movies like “Terminator”, “Matrix”, and many others presented a rather bleak future outlook regarding the fate of humanity due to machines.

If you look, basically, artificial intelligence movies always revolve around the same things. It’s always about technology created by humanity that learns so much from it until it acquires its own personality and seeks to destroy it.

But I am one of those who think that Artificial Intelligence, as a technology, is not something good or bad at all. In other words, in my view, the whole thing will depend on the intentions and nature of those who use it, period.

Simply put, artificial intelligence is neither a good nor a bad technology. It is simply a tool like any other, which can be used for good or ill. For this reason, both those who think that Artificial Intelligence will end humanity, and those who think that it will save it; both are right. They are two latent faces of the same thing. Because the risk-benefit will always be implicit when using a technology as innovative and disruptive as this one.

In any case, what we do know is that Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. And also that it has been in development for a long time, feeding on our knowledge, customs, tastes and fears. Therefore, we can foresee that Artificial Intelligence will be something that, for better or worse, will affect the entire life of the human being in society.

And what can be said about Artificial Intelligence and employment?

Much can be said about the various fields in which Artificial Intelligence will have a major impact. Some of these fields will be the military, economic, political, cultural, medical, industrial, etc.

But let’s dig a little into the labor aspect here. In other words, what many people are really worried about is whether their employment is at risk due to the growth and expansion of Artificial Intelligence. And the short answer is maybe, because it will depend on several factors.

And what will it depend on? It will depend on whether the job in question can be automated or not. And since most things today can be automated to be done with the greatest efficiency, then the fear that Artificial Intelligence could kill jobs is real.

In fact, it is well known that in China, South Korea and many other countries there have long been factories of technological devices that work with a minimum of personnel. They have achieved this largely by making use of machines and artificial intelligence.

So, in China, South Korea and many other countries, human job has already been replaced since many years by Artificial Intelligence.

Does this mean that the outlook is bleak for the world of work?

We are in the paradox of seeing the glass half full or half empty here. That is, we can analyze this situation from an optimistic approach or, on the contrary, with a completely negative perspective.

I always think that virtue is always in the middle. Artificial Intelligence is making it possible to replace many jobs in today’s world, and it will do so more and more, that is a fact.

Thanks to Artificial Intelligence, in the future, with a minimum of personnel, it will be possible to manufacture from the smallest things (microchips, mobile phones, microtransistors), to the largest things (such as buildings, houses, ships and airplanes).

The downside to all of this is that it will become increasingly difficult for most ordinary people to find and keep a steady job. Because the machines will carry out almost the entire production or manufacturing process automatically, efficiently and economically.

On the plus side, businesses will become increasingly profitable for their owners. Because by having few employees they will be able to obtain higher returns while creating products and services at lower costs. In other words, this will make goods and services significantly cheaper.

In addition, as there will be greater productivity and profitability, the nations’ coffers will receive a greater amount of money from taxes.

Is conventional employment about to disappear then?

Yes, in a way, conventional employment as we know it today will disappear. Because people with little technical or specialized training will not find a job no matter how hard they try.

But objectively speaking, this will be a natural evolution from what we have now. In other words, everything said so far does not mean that there will be no need for human labor in the future, but rather that jobs will become more and more specialized. Because companies, in turn, will require increasingly specialized and qualified labor. Therefore, in the future, untrained and uneducated labor will be completely relegated from the labor scene.

What really scares a lot of people about Artificial Intelligence

What really terrifies people when it comes to artificial intelligence is the same old thing, the fear of the unknown.

Because artificial intelligence will not only replace work, but it will also replace many professionals that we have today. This is how artificial intelligence will replace accountants, traders, writers, doctors, lawyers, market analysts, programmers, engineers, teachers, translators, graphic designers, journalists, and community managers among many other professions.

Is it any use being afraid? We just have to be fully aware of reality, and adapt as best as possible to it. Artificial intelligence will make it harder to get a job in the future; and many professions will tend to disappear completely. This is a fact.

And… What do you think about the Artificial Intelligence? Do you think artificial intelligence will replace many jobs and professions?

Until next time!

Article written by José Quintana

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