Will AI Take Over Jobs? The Truth about Automation & Employment

Big tech companies have started announcing layoffs focusing on maximizing productivity and efficiency using AI. Everyone is talking about this revolutionary technology, jobs that AI will replace, and how drastically it will change our world.

But are we looking at the real problem?

Are we jumping to conclusions too quickly?

Historical Perspective

If we look back in time, there have been four major revolutions in human history. And every major revolution – from agriculture to industrialization – disrupted the job market eliminating few jobs… but introduced a lot more.

For example, when calculators were invented, mathematicians didn’t go out of work. Rather, it made them more valuable.

Tools don’t replace human thinking, they amplify it.

AI will undoubtedly reshape today’s job market. Some roles will be automated, others will evolve, and new ones will emerge.

AI trainers, prompt engineers, algorithm auditors, AI ethics specialists just to name a few – jobs that do not exist today.

Looking at the recent past, the rise of social media has introduced an astonishing number of new jobs. Professions that didn’t exist a decade ago suddenly became mainstream. YouTubers, influencers, and podcasters have become the new sought-after professions, with liberal arts gaining popularity on par with science and medicine.  

Just like that, AI will create new fields and jobs we haven’t even named yet.

Believing AI will lead to mass unemployment is a short-sighted perspective and also an underestimation of AI’s true potential.

However, while everyone is debating whether AI will take jobs, a far more serious issue is brewing quietly on the sides.

Class Division

AI has the potential to dramatically widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

Unlike previous revolutions, AI is heavily concentrated and controlled by the elites of the world who already have access to enormous capital, infrastructure, data, and access to advanced education.

This can create a dangerous imbalance broadening economic inequality between developed and underdeveloped countries.

In this sense, the consequence of AI could be uglier than any other revolution that has happened before.

We have one-quarter of the world’s population facing water crisis while the other half is flourishing with abundance.

I know we can’t stop the rise of AI, and neither should we, rather we should embrace it… but while we do it, what are our policies to ensure its widespread implementation? How do we guarantee its benefits reach all segments of society?

If we don’t know how AI will uplift and resolve problems in the downtrodden pockets of society, we are risking disrupting the societal balance. A widening wealth gap can eventually manifest in rising social issues like child labor, theft, and crime.

On one end we would be achieving peaks with AI but on the other side we could very well be plummeting down to valleys of crime.

I feel the real questions are still hiding in the dark and we need to shed light on them.

How are global leaders that promote AI ensuring that our new generation is equipped to catch up with these fast-paced changes?

Is our education system developing candidates that are employable and not just degree holders?

And, if not, how is our education system guiding students to be prepared for uncertainty?

How are we coaching people to think, learn, and evolve alongside technology?

These are the kind of questions we need to go after as a society. If we aren’t addressing these questions, can this even be considered progress?

It’s like working out daily, following a nutritious diet, and introducing steroids… only to find out that your biceps have grown strong while leaving the rest of your body weak and fragile. 

It’s not progress if it isn’t all-inclusive.

So, as you can see, there are a lot of questions that are important than will AI take my job and sooner rather later we need to have these answers.

What do you think? Should we be more worried about AI’s impact on jobs or its effect on social equality? Drop your thoughts in the comments!