MILWAUKEE — The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked concerns among many about its impact on jobs.
What You Need To Know
- The use of artificial intelligence at work has nearly doubled in the last two years.
- Many people are worried that the adoption of AI could result in millions of job losses.
- However, AI researchers argue that it is primarily being used as a tool to assist work rather than replace workers.
Jeremy Kedziora, an associate professor at the Milwaukee School of Engineering and the endowed chair of artificial intelligence, attributes the growing anxiety about AI’s role in the job market to its swift advancement.
“The current array of AI agents available, whether it’s ChatGPT or Claude or any other, don’t really care what you ask them to do. This is a significant change from AI a decade ago. Thus, almost any role in the economy could be affected by AI,” Kedziora stated.
A recent Gallup poll indicated that AI use in the workplace has nearly doubled, prompting fears that millions of American workers could be displaced soon.
However, many leading AI developers, including Kedziora, have a more optimistic perspective. He believes that while AI will boost individual worker productivity, it won’t do so rapidly enough to result in widespread job displacement. “My intuition is that AI will create new jobs and serve as a tool for existing roles, similar to how computers transformed the workplace,” he explained.
Kedziora emphasized the importance of educating everyone on how to effectively use AI. He mentioned two groups to consider: consumers of AI and producers of AI, and highlighted the need to prepare individuals for both roles.
Sanjay Mohan, the executive director of AI for MKE Tech, a Milwaukee organization that develops workshops for businesses using AI, also believes that fears about AI drastically changing the workplace are misplaced. “The companies and individuals who will benefit most are those who approach AI pragmatically and methodically for competitive advantage. Slow and steady will win the race,” he said.
Both Mohan and Kedziora urged calm regarding AI developments. They stressed the importance of maintaining an open mind. Kedziora remarked, “In the long run, I believe the transition will be relatively smooth. I don’t anticipate a scenario where half of America’s workforce loses their jobs.”
—
