New research reveals that 80% of jobs in the US will be impacted by AI, with engineers, accountants, writers, journalists and analysts some of the most likely to be affected.
The study from the University of Pennsylvania found that workers who earn up to $80,000 a year in Tech and Finance were the most likely to be exposed.
The news comes as 90% of businesses are turning their attention to AI and company layoffs are at an all-time high – raising the question of whether jobs will be replaced by AI.
Jobs Most Likely To Be Impacted by AI
A new study released by the University of Pennsylvania, revealed the 80% of jobs in the US will be impacted by AI. The study, which uses data from the the US Department of Labor, found that ‘at least 10% of tasks will be affected by GPT language models', and ‘19% of workers may see at least 50% of their tasks impacted'.
Of those roles affected, “occupations with the highest exposure” include mathematicians, financial analysts, tax preparers, accountants and engineers, as well as public relations specialists, interpreters and translators, poets, lyricists and creative writers.
The study, which looks at the implications of GPT tools on US workers, found that industries that rely on processing information, programming and writing skills were most likely to be exposed to generative AI, as they generally align best with GPT's current capabilities.
Will AI Investment Put Your Job At Risk?
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Even though the potential for tasks to be affected by AI is extensive, it’ll still need to be incorporated into broader systems in order to realize its full potential, and that’s no easy feat.
Companies like Microsoft have been making this easier by releasing new AI-powered Microsoft tools, updating its software, and granting access to its Azure OpenAI service. Google has been doing the same by adding its own generative AI capabilities on Google Workspace.
Still, the study does highlight that ‘predicting the need for human oversight with AI is challenging, especially for tasks where model capabilities equal or surpass human levels’, so the adoption of AI tools in some businesses may be slow. Microsoft isn’t concerned though, as it continues to push more AI powered tools, despite laying off its entire team responsible for ethical use of AI software.
Will My Job Be Replaced By AI?
While some businesses on Wall Street are showing AI resistance, others, like Citigroup are looking for innovative ways to streamline and automate processes by investing in tech – and laying off hundreds of staff in the process. Still, the jury’s out on whether or not your job will be replaced by AI.
The technical capacity for GPTs to make US workers more efficient, according to the study, is evident, but researchers also point out that it’s important to recognize that other factors can influence productivity as well, including social, economic, and labor regulations.
Tools like project management software already automate business workflows, and 73% of managers agree that flexible work arrangements improve productivity too, however a combination of the two could prove to be a happy marriage.
