This revolution may not be televised, but it will be automated. AI won’t affect everyone’s work the same way: Women are more likely than men to lose their jobs to AI, a new report shows.
A report released this week by the McKinsey Global Institute predicts that by the end of the century, nearly a third of US work time could be automated. Thanks to automation and artificial intelligence, 12 million people will have to change jobs, and women are 1.5 times more likely to find a new role.
That’s because women make up a large proportion of the workforce in low-wage industries like office work and customer service, which the report says will shrink dramatically due to automation and artificial intelligence. The report says that people in low-wage jobs are 14 times more likely to need a career change than high-wage workers.
Those also at risk of finding new jobs include black and Hispanic workers who are “highly concentrated” in some of the shrinking jobs, as well as workers without college degrees. In addition, these workers may need to learn new skills or receive training to enter new industries.
From 2019 to 2022, the US labor market saw a huge surge in job changes (or when a person switches from one profession to another). According to McKinsey, the report counted about 8.6 million career changes, up 50% over the past three years. Half of the 8.6 million job changes are in lower-wage industries, including catering, customer service, office support and manufacturing, the report said.
“Demand for low-paying jobs in the service sector remains, but fewer workers are accepting these positions,” the report says. may move to better paying jobs or these jobs are filled by new employees. market.
Meanwhile, while projections show AI and automation are shrinking some industries, McKinsey also says it could boost growth in others, especially knowledge work. “We see that generative AI improves the work of STEM, creative, business and legal professionals, and does not reduce a large number of jobs,” the report says.
This compares with another report released this week by the Pew Research Center, which says white-collar workers are optimistic about how artificial intelligence will help them. Approximately one in five workers in the US are highly affected by artificial intelligence, or in other words, their work can be done with the help of technology. Those in the (often high-paying jobs) who have been most exposed to AI are more likely to say that the technology is helping them more than it is harming them.
Adherents believe that AI can enhance work, not replace it, so teams are more likely to spend more time on creative, strategic, or collaborative thinking. We’ve also seen the mistakes AI makes when it’s used instead of humans, from lawyers filing trumped-up cases to the media publishing articles with errors. AI isn’t good enough to be your lawyer, doctor, or architect – at least not yet.
So the burning question is how can we extend some of these benefits to those whose work is expected to be automated. McKinsey sees some optimism and a sense of urgency. “Rising demand and labor shortages are forcing many employers to consider potential non-traditional candidates and train them without direct experience,” the report says.
But in the end, employers and the country as a whole must lean towards this perspective of equity and provide workers with more training, more development, and more access to high-paying jobs. Only then can we find a path to a future where all workers can benefit from AI, not be destroyed by it.
Post time: Jul-28-2023