Which jobs would AI take from humans?

This is a question that many people are asking themselves as they witness the rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications in various domains. AI is already capable of performing tasks that were once considered exclusive to humans, such as recognizing faces, understanding natural language, playing games, creating art, and more. But how far can AI go, and what does it mean for the future of work and society?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as different types of AI have different capabilities and limitations, and different jobs have different requirements and challenges. However, some general trends can be observed based on the current state of AI research and development.

One trend is that AI tends to excel at tasks that are well-defined, rule-based, repetitive, and data-intensive. These tasks are often boring, tedious, or dangerous for humans, and can benefit from automation and optimization. Examples of such tasks include data entry, bookkeeping, customer service, quality control, security, and transportation.

Another trend is that AI tends to struggle with tasks that are creative, complex, ambiguous, or require social skills. These tasks are often rewarding, challenging, or meaningful for humans, and can benefit from human intuition, imagination, empathy, and collaboration. Examples of such tasks include writing, designing, teaching, counseling, managing, and innovating.

Based on these trends, some jobs are more likely to be replaced by AI than others in the near future. For instance, a recent study by Oxford University and Deloitte estimated that 35% of UK jobs have a high chance of being automated by 2030. The jobs with the highest risk include administrative assistants, retail salespersons, waiters/waitresses, drivers, and factory workers. The jobs with the lowest risk include doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, and artists.

However, this does not mean that AI will take over all the jobs that are at risk. There are many factors that influence the adoption of AI in different sectors and regions, such as economic feasibility, social acceptance, ethical implications, legal regulations, and human resistance. Moreover, AI can also create new jobs or transform existing ones by augmenting human capabilities or enabling new possibilities. For example, AI can help doctors diagnose diseases faster and more accurately; lawyers research cases more efficiently; teachers personalize learning for each student; engineers design better products; and artists explore new forms of expression.

Which jobs would humans lose to AI?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving field that promises to revolutionize many aspects of human society. From health care to education, from entertainment to transportation, AI has the potential to improve efficiency, accuracy, and creativity in various domains. However, AI also poses a significant challenge to the future of work, as many jobs that are currently performed by humans could be automated or replaced by AI systems. In this blog post, we will explore some of the jobs that are most likely to be affected by AI in the near future, and what implications this might have for workers and society.

According to a 2017 report by McKinsey Global Institute, about half of all work activities globally could be automated by 2055, and up to 375 million workers may need to switch occupational categories by 2030. The report identifies four factors that determine the technical feasibility of automation: the level of physical activity, the degree of data collection and processing, the need for human interaction, and the creative and cognitive requirements of the task. Based on these factors, some of the jobs that are most susceptible to automation are:

- Routine and manual tasks: These include jobs that involve repetitive physical actions, such as assembly line workers, warehouse workers, drivers, cleaners, and agricultural workers. These jobs typically require low levels of education and skills, and can be easily performed by robots or machines that can follow predefined rules and instructions. For example, Amazon already uses more than 200,000 robots in its fulfillment centers to move goods and packages, and self-driving cars are expected to disrupt the transportation industry in the near future.

- Data entry and processing tasks: These include jobs that involve collecting, organizing, and analyzing large amounts of data, such as clerks, accountants, bookkeepers, paralegals, and medical transcriptionists. These jobs typically require medium levels of education and skills, and can be performed by AI systems that can learn from data and perform complex calculations. For example, IBM's Watson can analyze legal documents and contracts faster and more accurately than human lawyers, and Google's Duplex can make phone calls and book appointments on behalf of users.

- Customer service and sales tasks: These include jobs that involve interacting with customers or clients, such as cashiers, receptionists, call center agents, retail salespersons, and travel agents. These jobs typically require high levels of human interaction and emotional intelligence, but can be performed by AI systems that can understand natural language and generate human-like responses. For example, Alibaba's AliMe can chat with online shoppers and provide product recommendations, and Microsoft's Xiaoice can have conversations with millions of users on social media platforms.

However, not all jobs are equally vulnerable to AI. Some of the jobs that are least likely to be affected by AI are:

- Creative and artistic tasks: These include jobs that involve producing original and novel content or products, such as writers, artists, musicians, designers, and inventors. These jobs typically require high levels of creativity and imagination, which are hard to replicate by AI systems. For example, while AI can generate music or art based on existing styles or patterns, it cannot create something truly new or innovative.

- Scientific and technical tasks: These include jobs that involve solving complex problems or developing new knowledge or technologies, such as scientists, engineers, doctors, teachers, and programmers. These jobs typically require high levels of expertise and cognitive skills, which are hard to automate by AI systems. For example, while AI can assist in diagnosis or research by providing relevant information or suggestions,

it cannot replace human judgment or intuition.

- Social and ethical tasks: These include jobs that involve caring for others or making moral decisions, such as nurses, therapists, social workers, lawyers, judges, and politicians.

These jobs typically require high levels of empathy and values, which are hard to emulate by AI systems. For example, while AI can provide emotional support or guidance, it cannot replace human compassion or responsibility.

Therefore, the question of which jobs would AI take from humans is not a simple one to answer. It depends on how we define AI and jobs; how we measure the impact of AI on work and society; how we adapt to the changes brought by AI; and how we shape the future of AI according to our values and goals.

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