Is AI a Job Creator Or Replacer?

Blog Writer: Umair Shakeel

Introduction

For the past few years, we have seen great assistance in work due to Artificial Intelligence. Grammarly, ChatGPT, and models in Hugging Face have brought humans various ways to make our workload easy, ranging from completing late-night assignments to making birthday videos for our relatives. However, one common question encapsulates the hopes and fears: Will AI create jobs, or will it replace us? With this technology evolving by the day, understanding its impact on employment becomes crucial for policymakers, businesses, and workers alike. For this, one should delve into the dual nature of AI, exploring how it both displaces and generates jobs and what this means for the workforce in the age of automation.

The Job Replacer: AI’s Disruptive Potential

Industries are particularly vulnerable to automation, where brainy machines and algorithms can perform tasks more efficiently than humans. For example:

1. Manufacturing: AI-driven robots can work around the clock without fatigue, which will increase productivity, but will also replace unskilled ones.
2. Retail and Customer Service: Automated checkouts, chatbots, and virtual assistants have reduced the need for human cashiers and customer service representatives. Only before 2019 did we hear of Amazon Go, a chain of convenience stores in the UK and USA, where no human operates, and even the transactions are made without giving paper cash.
3. Transportation and Logistics: Self-driving trucks and delivery drones have the potential to become popular with time, leading to the replacement of basic driving tasks.

The Job Creator: AI’s Innovative Potential

As humanity fears replacement, AI promises to create new job opportunities. As these robotic brains advance, they give rise to entirely new industries and roles that did not exist before. This factor is observable in several aspects:

1. Development and Maintenance of AI: For an AI to provide outstanding performance, it fundamentally needs the brains of humans. Mathematicians, data scientists, engineers, and researchers ensure the execution of failure-free operations. Furthermore, an AI should also learn to be ethical, so it needs people from various cultures who know morals defined and practised for aeons.
2. Healthcare: AI’s integration into healthcare has led to the emergence of roles like AI-powered diagnostic tool developers, telemedicine specialists, and health data analysts. These jobs focus on improving patient care and streamlining medical processes through technology. For example, in brain surgery, where accuracy is vital, experienced doctors must be present to supervise in case of any mishap.
3. Education: Educators and developers must create and manage these platforms, creating new job opportunities. Teachers who have taught for decades can be of great assistance in helping developers define the best model, which has to change over time as the environment changes consistently.
4. Finance: The financial sector benefits from AI in fraud detection, risk assessment, and personalised financial planning. Professionals who can develop and manage AI systems tailored to financial services.
5. Writing: Nowadays, one could ask ChatGPT to write a blog, poetry, etc., with an easy-to-understand prompt. This generative AI has an intelligent brain for generating content within seconds. But to make more people read your words, this is not enough. To structure words beautifully, you need to use your heart, and more importantly, you need to understand how the audience interprets and relates. You can tell an AI that the audience is “Gen-Z Pakistanis”, but humans have constant one-to-one interactions with each other daily, so they know (and feel) better. Software cannot feel or touch, so people are required to fill this gap.

Balancing Act: Managing the Transition

Numerous believe over the next few years, AI will replace them in their duties, causing a massive impact, and everything will become automated. Wind the clock to just a few months when Devin was released, the “first AI software engineer”. Those learning programming were demotivated and abandoned their studies, saying, “What is the point?”. Although Devin’s demonstration video turned out to be a hoax, it did show the level of insight people currently have.

Yes, AI will bring change in the workforce the way we know it, but that does not mean it is game over. The challenge lies in managing the transition effectively to minimise job displacement while maximising job creation. Several strategies can help achieve this balance:

1. Reskilling and Upskilling: As previously mentioned, humans are needed to create the perfect AI algorithms. So, investing in education and training programs to reskill and upskill workers is essential. Businesses especially the government need to look for opportunities for workers to acquire new skills relevant in an AI-driven economy.
2. Lifelong Learning: Promoting a culture of lifelong learning can help workers stay adaptable in the face of technological changes. Continuous learning initiatives can ensure that the workforce remains competitive and capable of new job roles.
3. Policy and Regulation: Implementing policies that support job creation and protect workers’ rights is crucial. Regulations can help ensure that the benefits of AI are distributed equitably across society, preventing a scenario where job displacement disproportionately affects vulnerable populations.
4. Public-Private Partnerships: Collaboration between the public and private sectors can drive innovation and job creation. Partnerships can lead to new industry development and economic opportunities, fostering a resilient job market.

The Future of Work: Embracing Change

As we move further into the age of automation, it is clear that AI will continue to reshape the job market. Embracing this change requires a proactive approach prioritising technological advancement and workforce well-being. By focusing on reskilling, lifelong learning, and supportive policies, we can navigate the complexities of AI’s impact on employment.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, so one should never think humans will be useless and all hope is lost. There is always a blank hole that requires you to fill it in exchange for giving you positivity.

Conclusion

There is no straight answer to whether AI will replace or create jobs. AI’s dual role as both a disruptor and an innovator highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of its impact on the job market. While AI can displace some jobs, it creates new opportunities and industries. How can one be accustomed to this new change? The key is managing this shift effectively, ensuring workers have the skills and support needed to thrive in an AI-driven world. By embracing change and fostering innovation, we can unveil a future of work that leverages AI for the betterment of all.