Key Points
- A report from ResumeBuilder reveals that 37% of business leaders confirmed AI replaced workers in 2023.
- Around 29% of an employees’ work tasks are AI-replaceable, according to a survey by project management and collaboration software company Asana.
- Notwithstanding job losses to AI, experts hold varied opinions, with some emphasizing the technology’s potential to redefine work and restructure job roles and others stressing the need for workers to continually upskill.
In a recent study undertaken by ResumeBuilder, data revealed an increase in job losses due to Artificial Intelligence (AI). The study, which surveyed 750 business leaders using AI, found that 37% identified job replacements by AI in 2023, and forecasted 44% layoffs in 2024 due to AI efficiency. However, despite the rising trend, many experts disagree with the notion that AI will eliminate human jobs. There is wide acknowledgment that AI can also redefine existing job structures and job roles.
While AI has resulted in some layoffs, Julia Toothacre, a career and resume strategist at ResumeBuilder believes that it is also facilitating business leaders in restructuring jobs. She opines that the numbers do not present a full or accurate picture of the existing business landscape as many traditional organizations and small businesses are yet to fully embrace technology.
An advocate of “human-centered AI,” project management and collaboration software company Asana argues that the technology should be harnessed to enhance human abilities and collaboration rather than replace them. Asana’s State of AI at Work 2023 report shows employees estimate around 29% of their work tasks are replaceable by AI.
Such potential job losses have led to a call for professionals to ‘future-proof’ their roles. Marc Cenedella, founder of Leet Resumes and Ladders, suggests white-collar professionals bear a level of personal responsibility to continuously learn and develop new skills. Declarations from Cenedella and Asana underscore the importance of workers learning how AI could impact their role and industry.
Nonetheless, increased technological capacity can equip workers to perform “higher value” work, a move that can result in more productivity that the next AI generations will likely learn to handle. The workforce history indicates its malleability, and with responsible use, AI can lead to further progress rather than mass unemployment.