Will the robots take our jobs?

Welcome back to Ask About AI, your digital panel dedicated to debunking AI use in the startup world. Check out previous instalments here. 

Today, our marvellous experts are tackling the question: ‘how worried should we be about AI replacing jobs?’

But first, some news – yes, there is always news: 

Earlier this month, PwC released its annual survey asking what’s on the minds of New Zealand CEOs. With generative AI a hot topic, the results revealed: 

• Kiwi CEOs recognise the potential of generative AI for short-term impact, but the majority have yet to implement it in their organisations. 
• Skills gaps, technological availability, cybersecurity concerns and the spread of misinformation are all factors impacting adoption.
• 61 percent predict their employees will need to learn new skills.

Venture capitalist Lovina McMurchy says US investors are interested in AI-focused New Zealand software firms, and encourages Kiwis to be open to outsiders. If you’re interested in the AI startups brewing in New Zealand, check out AI.org.nz.

Further afield, NVIDIA launched Project GROOT, a foundational model that will enable robots to be smarter and more functional – watch out Marvin The Paranoid Android! 

Now, over to those in the know – who, I might add, are much more optimistic than Marvin.  

Ming Cheuk

There’s unlikely to be a short-term replacement of existing roles. Despite the recent advancements in AI, it is still too early to completely replace humans in many day-to-day business tasks or decision making, given it can still make mistakes and often be hard to explain how or why it made the mistake. 

Humans make plenty of mistakes, too, but they are able to adapt and learn by themselves, something AI cannot do in its current form. The best use of AI right now is to treat it as a tool that can speed up specific tasks, much like the internet and computers have. 

Furthermore, many regulated industries, such as finance or healthcare, may prohibit the automation of certain tasks due to licensing or training requirements. These will take longer to incorporate AI. 

In any case, I don’t think we should be worried even if AI advances to the point where it eliminates some existing roles. Human civilisation has adapted to the changing job landscape due to technology for so long – from candlemakers to electricians, switchboard operators to IT professionals, carriage makers to automotive workers, and many more. There will always be something for humans to do in this world. 

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Madeleine Newman

We [the AI Forum New Zealand] ran a global event earlier this month on AI in Creative Industries – a space that, a little over a year ago, everyone thought was safe from AI.

The really interesting thing was that, while we didn’t shy away from the difficult topics, the focus of the conversation was ‘How can I use these toolsets to create better and faster?’ rather than ‘Will AI replace my job?’

Current thinking – and I am quoting an AI professor – is that, on average, 30 percent of our roles are or will be impacted by AI. And that is about making us and our use of resources more efficient and effective rather than replacing us.

Alongside this, there is also the opportunity for AI adopters to create career mobility for themselves and their teams as we gain more skills and social mobility to improve our productivity and become ‘worth’ more in the jobs market.

So my advice wouldn’t be to worry about AI replacing jobs; I would focus on using the superpowers AI can give you to improve your job, organisation and outlook.

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Paul O’Neil 

It’s entirely natural that people worry about how AI will affect their employment futures. That said, AI should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat. In the same way that the rise of the internet led to organisations and their staff needing to adapt, retrain and refocus how they work, the same will happen with AI. 

New technology, if embraced in the right way, shouldn’t lead to fewer jobs, but it will lead to us working differently. Change is constant, and provided we embrace it and ensure our workforce has the training and support to take advantage of new technology, it should lead to economic growth and not redundancy. 

Our workplaces may look different as a result of AI, but they will still be full of people.

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ChatGPT

The concern about AI replacing jobs is legitimate, as advancements in AI technology have the potential to automate various tasks, leading to job displacement in some sectors. However, it’s important to consider several factors:

• Nature of jobs: AI is more likely to replace repetitive, routine tasks rather than jobs that require creativity, emotional intelligence and complex decision making. Jobs involving human interaction, such as those in healthcare, education, and customer service, are less likely to be fully replaced by AI.
• Job creation: While AI can replace certain jobs, it also creates new job opportunities in fields like AI development, data analysis and cybersecurity. The demand for workers with skills in these areas is expected to grow.
• Augmentation: In many cases, AI augments human capabilities rather than replacing them entirely. For example, AI can assist doctors in diagnosing diseases more accurately, but it does not replace the need for a human doctor’s expertise and judgement. 
• ‍Economic and social policies: AI’s impact on jobs will also depend on the economic and social policies adopted by governments and organisations. Investments in education, retraining programmes and social safety nets can help mitigate the negative effects of job displacement.
• Adaptation: The workforce’s ability to adapt to new technologies is crucial. Continuous learning and upskilling will be important for workers to stay relevant in an evolving job market.

Overall, while there is a risk of job displacement due to AI, the extent of this impact will depend on various factors. It’s important to approach this issue with a balanced perspective, recognising both the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

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More about our panel

Ming Cheuk has been involved with AI for more than a decade. His company, ElementX (Previously Spark 64), is dedicated to assisting businesses leverage AI. He also serves as an executive council member for the AI Forum New Zealand. 

Madeleine Newman is the executive director of the AI Forum New Zealand, a tech community promoting the economic opportunities raised by AI and supporting AI application in society. She brings a broad understanding of AI policy and practice to the discussion. 

Paul O’Neil is the head of legal, consultancy and general counsel at the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA). Having recently been involved in the EMA’s ‘AI Show’, he brings a legal angle to the AI discussion. 

Need it any introduction? Launched November 2022 by Open AI, ChatGPT is based on a large language model, allowing users to have human-like conversations with a chatbot. 

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‍If you have an AI question you’d like answered, reach out to mary@caffeinedaily.co

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