Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning were once considered mere buzzwords, but today, many companies and institutions are utilizing these technologies to improve their operations. While these developments have brought both positive and negative connotations, few people see only the positive side of the recent advances in deep tech. A recent survey conducted by TIDO in 2022 found that nearly 69% of college graduates believe that AI could take their job or make it irrelevant in a few years. Could these fears materialize?
Where we can use AI?
AI is a type of technology that can automate many tasks, but it cannot replace humans in every aspect. Some jobs require specific soft skills that only humans possess, such as leadership, negotiation, sales, business intuition, and building rapport with the team. While AI can assist with these tasks and provide valuable feedback, the ultimate decision-making power will always rest with humans. Studies have shown that most people do not trust AI, and an AI system substituting for a manager would likely not be trusted enough by employees to lead a team, let alone a company. In addition, there are manual skills that cannot be replicated by AI, such as laying cables or tiles, which require human hand dexterity and expertise. A robot cannot perform these tasks as easily as a human.
Where we cannot use AI?
On the other hand, there are multiple sectors in a modern economy that can be fully automated. AI is better at some tasks than humans. Sectors that are most prone to shrink due to AI in the coming years, according to the “Will a Robot Take My Job” portal, are:
- Customer support specialists. The customer support sector is one of the areas that is being impacted by the rise of AI and automation. As more companies adopt chatbots and voice bots to handle customer inquiries, the need for human customer support specialists is decreasing. Many common customer support tickets can be handled by AI bots, which can quickly and accurately respond to customer inquiries without the need for human intervention. This trend is likely to continue in the coming years, as AI technology becomes more advanced and able to handle a wider range of customer support tasks.
- Accountants. Another sector that is being impacted by AI and automation is bookkeeping and financial analysis. This field is heavily reliant on repetitive data analysis, which can be almost fully automated using AI technology. In fact, many companies, such as COMARCH and InFakt, have already introduced AI-powered invoice OCR scanning and booking, which replaces manual, costly, and inefficient invoice accounting processes. As AI technology continues to advance, it is likely that more and more accounting tasks will be automated, leading to a decrease in the need for human accountants.
There are many others that I could point out all day, but you get the point. Repetitive and not creative work could be automated. But will it be?
What other factors will impact the use of AI?
Governments and regulators might be concerned about the potential negative effects of AI on the job market, and they might take steps to protect workers by setting strict restrictions on where AI can be implemented. From a technical standpoint, it is true that many of the jobs mentioned earlier, such as customer support specialists and accountants, could potentially be replaced by AI. However, this does not mean that they will be. In my opinion, some governments might demand that AI systems be subject to “human supervision” in order to ensure that they are not making decisions without human oversight. This could help to mitigate the potential negative effects of AI on the job market, while still allowing companies to reap the benefits of AI technology.
Summary
Overall, while AI and automation can certainly help in some aspects of many jobs, there are still many tasks and skills that require human expertise and cannot be fully replaced by machines. Therefore, while some jobs may be at risk of automation, it is unlikely that AI will completely replace human workers in the near future. Governments and regulators will also play a crucial role in ensuring that the impact of AI on the job market is managed in a way that is fair and beneficial to all parties involved.
I fully agree that it is worth to remember that AI lacks a sufficiently large number of skills that are usual and normal for humans, which is why it will definitely become an incredible help and additional tool for us, but it will not be able to replace humans completely and take every single job away. What is more, artificial intelligence will create a huge number of new jobs that do not exist yet.
So many people are afraid that artificial intelligence is a threat to them and their professions. However, I agree that there are jobs that cannot be done by a robot better than by a human. On the other hand, it is true that many professions will become extinct due to the development of artificial intelligence. Some of them maybe not be fully extinct, but we will need far fewer people in many fields.