The UN development agency UNDP has warned that countries need to prepare for the inevitable changes that artificial intelligence will bring to the labor market. UNDP head, Achim Steiner, explained that nations with young populations are likely to face different challenges to those with older societies due to possible employment losses. He urged leaders to prepare transition strategies to reap the benefits of such changes, rather than become victims of them. The job market will also need to be assessed to identify which roles could be affected and which ones may arise as a result.
One area of focus is Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, which is currently causing a lot of hype and debate about its impact on office jobs. Previously, roles such as accountants were considered immune to automation, but studies suggest that they are among the professional groups most affected by the rise of generative AI. Mathematicians, programmers, interpreters, writers, and journalists also worry that their positions could be affected. The World Economic Forum estimates that around a quarter of jobs will face significant upheaval over the next five years due to AI development.
Some businesses are already making changes. IBM CEO, Arvin Krishna, has announced that some positions will be halted if their tasks can be taken over by AI. He also believes that around 30% of these jobs (approximately 7,800 positions) could be entirely replaced by AI and automation. Steiner warns that it is crucial not to create false incentives to hasten automation, such as taxing human work more heavily than work performed by robots.
It is essential to examine every type of job that could potentially be affected by AI carefully. Governments must develop strategies for re-skilling workforces to prepare them for new roles. The rise of AI in the job market is inevitable, and it is better to be prepared than to be caught off guard by sudden changes, according to UNDP.
