Shamraiz | December 9, 2024
Maya Kulycky, Vice President for Strategy, Operations, and Outreach at Google Research, stresses not only the need to systematize tasks but also to outsource repetitive work through digital assistants. For Maya, Gemini, an integrated AI tool in Google Docs, has become indispensable. Since it can turn rough memos into polished, well-formatted emails, Gemini acts as a catalyst, accelerating her productivity at work. She does not feel that this technology replaces her, but rather complements and supports her work. This is part of a larger trend in AI’s function in the workplace. Contrary to what most films and books suggest, AI is not an omnipotent superintelligence but a useful gadget meant to augment human ability and productivity.
Lessons from History – Technology’s Impact on Jobs
The concern that AI will eliminate jobs is not new. It follows a historical pattern observed with each major technological shift. Erik Brynjolfsson, an economist specializing in AI’s impact on the workforce, draws parallels with the advent of the automobile and computers, which transformed industries without causing long-term unemployment. In 1900, 42% of Americans worked in agriculture; in 2020, only 2% did. Of course, this change birthed new industries and jobs previously unimaginable. A paper by economist David Autor in 2022 found that 60% of Americans now work in roles that did not exist in the 1940s. The displacement of some tasks will indeed occur, but AI is also ready to create completely new opportunities.
Augmenting Human Ability Through AI
With AI growing, people worry it will become the end of general job automation. But Brynjolfsson remains positive about this because AI is better deployed in conjunction with human competencies. AI gets things right on core, he said, but then humans shine at managing exceptions and improvising unique solutions. For areas of high technical specialization and human discretion, AI is proving its value. Thus, surgeons will be using it to analyze scans, and lawyers to draft patent applications, while customer service representatives will find it useful to hand over more routine queries to a chatbot so that they can have more time on tougher questions. AI has successfully collaborated with its humans: studies on LLMs in call centers revealed 35 percent more efficient performance by the less-skilled workers, facilitated skill gaps with best practices among teams.
The double-edged sword of efficiency
AI enhances productivity but, at the same time, raises job security concerns. Tasks that once took months in training to master can now be learned in weeks, potentially meaning workers are more replaceable than ever. According to the McKinsey report, up to 30% of what is currently being done in human hours may be automated by 2030. Low-wage workers are most vulnerable—they are up to 14 times more likely to lose a job to automation than those with higher wages. This inequality is disturbing, considering that many low-wage occupations are held by women, individuals of color, and those without a higher education.
Economic Inequality Addressed through Collaboration
Brynjolfsson warns that AI could further increase the wealth gap since its economic benefits tend to concentrate at the top, with corporate leaders and investors benefiting the most. The best strategy is to aim for technology that creates widely shared prosperity, not just concentrated wealth, he says. Organizations like Cisco’s AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium are already working with companies such as Google, IBM, and Accenture to invest in training and upskilling programs. Google’s $120 million Global AI Opportunity Fund hopes to bring free AI training to underserved communities, capitalizing on its efforts to train more than 100 million people in digital skills.
Despite AI’s potential, its adoption has been slower than anticipated. Brynjolfsson observes, While the technology is advancing rapidly, there’s much less energy being put into figuring out how to get business value out of it. The delay is partly because the integration of AI into the existing workflow requires investment. However, Brynjolfsson emphasizes that managers who adopt AI will outperform those who do not. AI won’t replace managers, but managers who use AI will replace those who don’t, he asserts.
Preparing for the Future of Work
The workforce of tomorrow will be adaptable. “The era of going to school for 12, 16, or more years and using that knowledge for the next 40 years is gone,” says Brynjolfsson. Workers will need to learn and adapt continuously as new tools and technologies emerge. AI itself can support this shift, providing personalized learning programs that help workers acquire new skills rapidly. Already, countries with aging populations—parts of Europe and Asia are among them—are using AI to fill labor gaps, freeing workers to do more fulfilling work.
Building an AI-Enhanced Economy
Ultimately, shaping AI’s role in society will be up to business leaders, technologists, and policymakers. Brynjolfsson advises that the focus of technologies must be on augmenting human abilities rather than replacing them. When we use AI to complement workers, we create more value and shared prosperity, he concludes. By setting AI as an assistant to enhance employees’ work, companies can establish trust with the workforce.
