“The robots are coming! The robots are coming!”
Yes, it looks like the day has finally arrived. Artificial intelligence, AI, has finally evolved and is coming for everyone’s livelihoods.
At least, that’s what the latest cascade of news articles would have us believe. You don’t have to look very long to find another story about AI tools potentially taking jobs. Some experts believe that as many as 300 million jobs could be automated in the near future; that’s 18% of the workforce.
Every sector seems to share the same dire forecasts. Marketers, for example, aren’t too thrilled about the prospects of rampant AI adoption, as 71% believe it can outperform humans at their jobs. Another report predicts that 7.5% of ad agency jobs will be gone, replaced by algorithms by 2030. It’s not just the creative sectors; cashiers, those (usually) smiling faces that greet us when we pull up with our shopping trolleys, could soon be a thing of the past. It’s estimated that 335,000 of those jobs will be gone by 2031, replaced by screens (or nothing at all, if you’ve ever had the bizarre experience of shopping at an Amazon Fresh store).
Of course, those are just predictions. What’s happening right now? Well, it looks like the automation takeover has begun. Just this past May, it’s been estimated that nearly 4,000 jobs in the US are gone, made obsolete by the advancement of AI. Some already suspect that they’ve been laid off because AI was brought into their company and was able to do their work in a fraction of the time.
Automation tools have been around forever, but it was ChatGPT, the incredible generative AI created by OpenAI, that changed the game seemingly overnight. In fact, it’s so good that Google would hire it as an entry-level coder (if it was a person, of course). Employees at Amazon who tested ChatGPT said it is “great” at creating training materials, “very strong” at responding to questions about corporate strategy, and “does a very good job” of responding to customer support questions.
Back to the original question: is my job going to be replaced by AI? Ironically, you can even ask ChatGPT yourself, and it’ll give you an entire list of reasons why it’ll eventually take those jobs away. Its list included:
- Telemarketers
- Data entry clerks
- Receptionists
- Bank tellers
- Sales agents
Manufacturing and warehouse jobs, long-haul trucking, research, customer service, and insurance jobs are just a few examples of other industries under threat from automation and generative AI. It’s obvious that AI systems are likely to focus on routine tasks like writing specific emails, responding to customer service inquiries, and creating social media posts. However, what’s truly amazing (and potentially quite frightening) about the latest advancements lies in its ability to create pictures, movies, and even music from simple prompts. Why commission an artist for your next media campaign or hire a composer for an advert when you get a computer to do it for a fraction of the cost?
The fact of the matter is that, yes, some jobs will be made obsolete, but that has always been the way of things. After all, how many pin setters, lamp lighters, and slubber doffers do you see nowadays? You can’t stand in the way of progress, so the only thing to do is march right along with it.
Thankfully, there are ways to prepare for the era of automation, so if you’re currently in an industry that looks to be changed by AI, try the following:
- Retrain and upskill. Upskilling and reskilling are crucial to staying ahead of the curve as AI develops. This means taking up new skills that will be in demand later on. Upskilling and reskilling can be done in a variety of ways, such as through online courses, workshops, and certification. This includes learning to code (someone has to create and maintain AI, and that someone could be you).
- Be innovative and creative. AI excels at performing repetitive tasks, but it struggles to think creatively. This means that creative and innovative people should be in high demand in the future. You will be in a much better position to succeed in the age of AI if you have the ability to think outside the box.
- Be adaptable and flexible. The job market is changing rapidly, and it is important to be adaptable and flexible. This means being willing to learn new skills, take on new challenges, and move to different industries. If you can adapt to change, you will be more likely to succeed in the age of AI.
- Understand AI. As has already been said, tools like ChatGPT will soon become the norm, so you should learn how to use them. Invest time in learning how to use prompts to generate the right kind of content or how you can automate parts of your job with it.
Although AI has its place in many sectors and does its job well, you can never beat the human touch when it comes to recruitment. That’s what we believe here at Plus One Recruitment, and we’ve been doing it since 2005. Our human recruiters are experts in their particular job sector, with insights gleaned the old-fashioned way that artificial intelligence just can’t match. So, let AI automate your mundane tasks, but leave your staffing needs to the professionals! Talk to us today, and we’ll find the best candidates for your company (at least until the robots really do take over).
