Who will be replaced by AI: global labor market forecast and list of vulnerable occupations
Russia is experiencing the fourth industrial revolution, which affects not individual professions, but the labor market as a whole. The use of artificial intelligence is changing the approach to organizing work. In this article, we will look at who AI will replace and who will only be strengthened.
Who will be replaced by AI in the near future
Neural networks are being actively introduced into work processes. AI has become a tool that optimizes company costs. Employers are already replacing employees whose duties were related to data processing, mass content creation, and other routine tasks. Let's take a look at who is already at risk and why.
Call-center operators
The task of the operators is to listen to the client's problem and help solve it. But during "rush hour" it is difficult to get through to an operator because of the large flow of calls. This causes irritation for customers and overload for employees.
Today, voice bots have become indistinguishable from humans. They work around the clock, understand human speech and answer thousands of calls simultaneously. For companies, using them is cheaper than a coffee subscription for employees.
Translators of technical documentation
Translating complex documents used to be considered a job only for professionals. But the rapid development of neural networks shows that they not only translate technical instructions, but also understand context, preserve structure and terminology.
It is an opportunity for the company to reduce time and do the translation in a matter of hours without errors and at a lower cost.
Copywriters on streaming tasks
Describing products for a website, describing services or creating product cards is a monotonous job that companies already trust to neural networks. AI creates multiple variations in minutes, using keywords and the company's Tone of Voice.
Junior programmers and testers
Fixing bugs, writing boilerplate code, optimizing text - now services like GitHub Copilot do this work, which was done by young specialists. Based on comments, the service analyzes the code, fixes bugs, and suggests improvements.
Accounting and document management
Primary accounting, data entry, and auditing simple transactions are tasks that algorithms can easily handle. AI does not make mistakes, does not go on vacation, works at any time and does not get tired. Companies thus speed up work processes and save on salaries.
Entry-level media and design
Stock illustration, simple retouching and template graphics are products that instantly create neural networks. Designers who created average visual content are forced to raise their skills, grow in art direction, or leave the profession.
Companies also save time and money resources.
Everything that can be explained, described with instructions and automated will be given to algorithms to work on. Neural networks do not deprive professions, they modify them. To remain in demand, employees need to be creative, responsible and grow above artificial intelligence.
Who AI won't be able to replace
Human skills that have evolved over millions of years (walking, fine motor skills, empathy) are so ingrained in our brains that they seem natural. But transferring these skills to a robot is a complex and costly endeavor. But abstract thinking, calculating large equations, the things that are difficult for humans, are easy for artificial intelligence. This is Moravec's paradox: what is easy for humans is difficult for AI, and vice versa. Hence, there are a number of professions that AI will not replace.
Occupations requiring physical agility
Plumbers, locksmiths, rescue workers - professions that require physical skills and the ability to make on-the-spot decisions under different circumstances. Replacing a person who decides what to do with a crooked pipe or a person who carries children out of a fire is still unthinkable.
Professions based on empathy and ethics
Psychologists, teachers, caregivers, social workers - another layer of indispensable professions. People pay not only for results, but also for attention, care, and a sense of security. AI can choose the right words and imitate sympathy, but it is not able to build close emotional contact, which is valuable in this work.
Managers and strategists
AI analyzes, offers solutions, but it is not capable of taking responsibility for the decisions made. Managers, executives, politicians work not only with numbers, but also with risks and uncertainty. And the decision is left to a human being, as a mistake can be very costly.
Who will be strengthened by neural networks
Those who learn to work with AI, manage it and use it to improve their work will remain in demand. The so-called "centaur" concept, when a person works not against the AI, but together with it. In this case, the neural network takes over routine tasks: searching, analyzing, creating a draft, helping to improve. And the human is left with the task of controlling, guiding the process and making the final decision.
In real life, such a concept is seen in medicine. AI is able to analyze MRI scans, X-rays, finding abnormalities that humans might miss. Introducing AI into the work of doctors speeds up diagnosis, improves image quality and creates preliminary protocols, which reduces time and allows doctors to focus on more important tasks.
In marketing, AI tools help in creating content, hyper-segmenting the audience and predicting the response to the content. However, the decision is left to the marketer. He chooses which concept to use, defines the brand strategy and shapes the Tone of Voice.
Neural network takes away the routine work and allows specialists to grow and improve. It's not enough to just do the job, you need to be able to think creatively and add personality to the brand.
How the labor market will change by 2030
By 2030, the impact of neural networks on the automation of the labor market will become noticeably tangible. Developments in the form of chatbots, voice assistants, and autopilots will become a full-fledged industry that will create a number of new professions. Here are a few of them:
- Prompt Architect. A specialist who develops scripts and queries to use neural networks to produce accurate results.
- AI Ethos. The application of neural networks is happening in different fields and has an impact. Ethicists will play the role of overseeing the AI so that it does not violate the norms, ethics and rights of humans.
- Neuro Employee Operator. People who will organize and coordinate the system of robotic employees.
The emergence of new vacancies and changes in old ones will lead to wage polarization. Two large groups will appear on the market:
- professionals running neural networks;
- low-skilled employees whose tasks can be easily automated.
A large wage gap will lead to labor instability and unemployment.
To stay in demand, it's important to prepare now: improve your neural network skills, exercise critical thinking to analyze AI results, and increase your knowledge in related professions.
Answers to the main questions about the future of professions
Will the programming profession disappear?
No, but it will change. Neural networks are already solving routine tasks, and by 2030 this will become their main function.
Is it worth studying to be a translator now?
Depends on the specialty. Synchronized translators and translators of rare languages will remain in demand. But mass translation of texts and technical documentation is already in the hands of neural networks.
Will unconditional basic income be introduced because of AI?
This issue remains debatable. In Russia, the introduction of a tax on the work of robots is being discussed, and the money is proposed to be sent to people who have lost their jobs. But opponents of the idea believe that this is unreasonable and hinders machine development.