Yes, algorithms are going to change the way we work, so let’s start looking for the opportunities this will create
Much of the intensive news coverage over recent weeks about generative algorithms and machine learning has focused not just on the supposed danger of them taking over the world eventually, but the shorter-term threat of the loss of jobs.
Nobody should be surprised at this point in history to be told that technology will lead to job losses: it has been a constant throughout human history, even spawning legends such as Ned Ludd. The process usually takes place in two phases: in the short term, a series of occupations are eliminated due to the availability of a technology that makes them redundant; in the medium term these technologies in turn generate new jobs, usually more specialized or value-added.
Analysts such as Goldman Sachs predict that the development of algorithms and their application in various industries will lead to the loss of some 300 million jobs worldwide, with 18% of work being carried out exclusively by computers, with a significantly greater impact on advanced economies. The latest World Economic Forum report talks about 23% of jobs at risk of disruption over the next five years, while a study by three OpenAI researchers concludes that 80% of workers in the United States at risk, with 10% of their daily tasks…
