5 Job Roles in Danger of Disappearing Because of Generative AI
AI may replace more than 300 million jobs, with a significant impact on administrative and healthcare roles.
- As AI tools become increasingly popular, people worldwide are concerned that the technology will replace human employees in several job roles.
- Along with assembly lines, AI may also start impacting many sales, marketing, law, and healthcare roles.
AI technologies like ChatGPT have immense potential for disruption across industries. Elon Musk, one of the founders of OpenAI, called ChatGPT a form of ‘dangerously strong’ AI. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also said that he is a little afraid of ChatGPT. Tech leaders globally have raised concerns about authoritarian governments taking undue advantage of AI tools and the potential for a rise in cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.
Microsoft’s round of layoffs in March also included its entire AI ethics and society team, which is critical to adopting guidelines for AI principles for accessibility to the general public while maintaining ethical standards. One can argue that the unrestricted use of AI to replace humans in jobs without suitable alternatives is unethical.
Furthermore, according to a report released by Goldman Sachs this March, AI is projected to replace approximately 300 million full-time jobs conventionally held by humans. The capabilities of generative AI to generate productive content indistinguishable from human work are creating concerns around the world. Let us look at a few jobs most likely to be impacted by the upcoming generative AI revolution.
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1. Computer Programmers
While computer programming and coding were long considered future-proof jobs, AI tools like ChatGPT are expected to replace many programming tasks in the near future. So, programmers with only very specific skill sets may be able to retain their positions.
AI tools like ChatGPT are increasingly capable of crunching numbers with high accuracy, allowing for faster coding and reducing the need for many employees. For instance, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna stated that 30% of non-customer-facing roles in the business will be cut due to AI in the next five years. However, skilled programmers and coders will have to adopt AI to their roles to improve productivity and aid sustainability in the job market.
2. Social Media Teams
Today, every business requires optimal use of social media to maintain a good relationship with its customers and the public. Social media teams are essential for planning and executing social content and interaction strategies.
These tasks are expected to be extensively carried out by AI in the future. AI tools like ChatGPT are becoming increasingly capable of generating content required for social media campaigns, including writing attractive slogans and captions for platforms like Instagram. These tools can also generate complete social media plans as per customized requirements. While AI is not expected to replace humans completely, candidates capable of harnessing their creativity could leverage AI solutions and benefit the most from these changes.
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3. Web and Graphic Designers
A good website is critical for every organization. Web designers are essential to companies for working on code development extensively. However, these jobs are increasingly facing threats due to artificial intelligence.
Users can now leverage tools like Amazon’s Codewhisperer and GitHub’s Copilot X to write dynamic website code in any programming language with professional results.
Graphic designers who could develop compelling visuals for landing pages were considered AI-proof for a long time due to the need for creativity. However, the availability of AI-based image generators is changing this. Companies now only need a few prompts to generate aesthetically pleasing images, which can be used for various applications. This impacts the jobs of graphic designers. However, the fact that AI generates images from sample data sets is also generating concerns about potential plagiarism.
4. Proofreaders and Translators
Proofreaders have long been a time-intensive but essential resource in content creation. Normally the job requires not just grammar and spelling skills but also a great eye for fact-checking.
AI tools like ChatGPT initially made proofreading easy but are now doing the job without any human interaction. Providing ideal writing samples is enough for AI tools to check and edit all types of content.
Artificial intelligence is also casting its shadow on the jobs of translators. The GPT-4 large language model (LLM) can support content in more than 26 unique languages. These tools can easily and instantly translate and transcribe a piece of content into multiple languages.
5. Healthcare Assistants
Advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence have generated notable opportunities in the healthcare industry. Robotic doctors can conduct significant portions of critical operations without human intervention. Consequently, the role of surgical assistants is expected to be taken over in the foreseeable future.
Such AI-based healthcare assistants can reduce human error in surgeries, keep track of medications, and help in healthcare and pharmaceutical research. While AI is unlikely to replace human healthcare professionals completely, minor roles are at risk.
Education and Reskilling Are Key
The unprecedented changes brought about by artificial intelligence in the job market are certainly expected to displace several job roles. However, like other technologies in the past, a balanced perspective on change can help smoothen the transition.
As industries push to adopt AI solutions, some jobs will be replaced. However, individuals, governments, and organizations must strongly invest in education and reskilling programs to minimize the impact on the workforce and optimally repurpose human resources. With dedicated thought, human qualities of ingenuity, creativity, and adaptability can not only be preserved but also enhanced with AI technology.
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