Artificial intelligence, otherwise known as AI, is categorized as machines that are programmed to think and function like human minds. AI provides us with new breakthroughs every day, sometimes even beginning to exceed human intelligence. Though these can mean that milestones are being reached it also brings to the surface the very fear that people’s minds are subject to. Will AI eventually replace all available workers?
THE SHORT ANSWER
THE LONG ANSWER
It truly depends on what field you’re in. If you find yourself working in manufacturing, customer service, research, or data entry to name a few there is a high possibility that your job will be replaced by a machine in the next 10 years or so. This is because these are tasks that can be learned by a machine. AI simply attempts to mimic human behavior and the human thought process. However, experts justify this constant advancement by saying that AI’s job is only to eliminate tedious and repetitive tasks so that workers can set their minds to more important and productive tasks. Sure, this may seem reasonable, but this raises a question for those will a lower-level skillset. A worker whose entire job is based on the fact that they are tedious and repetitive tasks, such as cleaning an office workspace, can easily be replaced by a machine. So, workers’ jobs are likely to be replaced, this is unavoidable and thus will result in fewer workers.
But will all jobs be replaced? Firstly, though jobs are inevitably going to be replaced it does seem too far a stretch for all jobs to be replaced. Secondly, up until now, there hasn’t been an entire job not needing workers just because of technological advancement, in turn, technology has brought up more work. To maintain and manage machinery a lot of people are required, in turn, this may even bring in more jobs sometimes. However, most of the time instead of replacing workers, current workers are simply taught and trained on how to handle the machinery. Only the job and its requirements are either added onto or changed. This means no loss of jobs.
AI in turn can even help create more jobs because creating, maintaining, and training AI is a hectic job. This in turn can create a higher demand for jobs in the software industry. If you’re worried about losing your job or that the field you plan to work to won’t even have jobs that require human labor eventually I’m here to tell you that this shouldn’t be your top worry. For the near future, it likely seems that human labor is essential and though side by side we are seeing technological advancements it is unlikely that entire jobs will not be needed anymore in the world.
