Workers are increasingly anxious about their jobs being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). A report by Goldman Sachs in March suggested that AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs, while a PwC global workforce survey in 2022 revealed that almost a third of respondents were concerned about being replaced by technology within three years. However, some career coaches and HR experts argue that employees should view AI as a resource rather than a threat and learn to work alongside it.
Carolyn Montrose, a career coach at Columbia University in New York, argued that it is normal to feel anxious about the impact of AI but workers have the power to choose whether they feel empowered to learn about it and use it to their advantage, or feel anxious about it.
Scott Likens, who specialises in understanding issues around trust and technology at PwC, explained that technological advancements have shown that, with the right set of skills, individuals can often progress alongside these advancements. However, workers must be willing to embrace technology and learn how to use it effectively.
Despite workers’ concerns, experts believe it is important to remain positive and look forward to the potential benefits of AI, arguing that although technological change has always been unnerving for some people, it has been a key ingredient for society’s advancement. Research by sociology professor Eric Dahlin at Brigham Young University suggests that fears of robots taking over human jobs might be overblown.
Source: BBC
