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#2
THE IMPACT OF AI ON EMPLOYEMENT

Every week we hear news regarding new breakthroughs in artificial intelligence in machine
learning, automation, robotics, etc. The audience has a wide range of opinions ranging from
anticipated dreamland/ideal world to the fear of threats to humanity due to machines.

After reading books, articles and authors interviews about the state of AI, I am convinced that AI
will have a major impact on employement. The articles examine the cases of What happens if
robots end up taking jobs from humans and how will this affect our society. There are certainly
cases, where AI is a boon and cases where its a bane.

According to experts on the topic, The economic impact of robotic advances and AI- self driving
cars, smart digital assistants, automated machines, etc., half of them believe in a future where
robots and digital assistants have substituted a significant numbers of both blue and white collar
workers. Many of these experts believe that this will lead to a tremendous increase in income
inequality, where masses of people are unemployed and will upset the societal order.
The other half of experts predict a future where technology will not displace more jobs than it
creates. This group of experts anticipate that many tasks/jobs that are being performed by
humans in present will considerably taken over by robots. But they believe that the humans
ability and inventiveness will create new jobs, new industries, humans will find a way to make a
living, like they have been doing so since the Industrial Revolution. Although, both the groups of
these experts have similar hopes and concerns about the impact of AI on employement.

The concerns regarding AI and its impact on employement can be divided in two opposite point
of views, one being about the positive impact and the other being about the negative impact.
Looking at the positive impacts, we can say that throughout the human history, technology has
created more jobs than it has destroyed. Presently, the current generation of AI is improving our
personal or professional productivity like with the help of self driving cars, but it is not affecting
the jobs of chauffers. Robots and AI are a part of Industrial Revolution, their impact should not
be different than the previous waves of machines. Also, with new advancement in the field of AI,
theres a demand of new type of skilled labour that can code or build new tools, which will in
return lead to new jobs and industries.
Some experts believe that AI wont advance enough in the next decade that it substiantially
impacts the job market. They believe that 10 years is a short time frame for automation to exist
outisde the factories. Experts believe that the trend of AI sprawling over the service jobs industry
will require different set of skills which maybe a challenging task to complete in a decade.
Although, with the help of machines, it will allow humans to provide a higher level of service
while maintaining the same level of human involvement.

On the other hand, some experts believe that the impact of AI will result in higher human
unemployement, they believe that the previous generations of Industrial Revolution happened
at a slower pace, so people had time to adjust to different unexplored fields and move from one
unskilled work to another. The rapid advancement in robotics and AI in general threaten to make
even the skilled jobs obsolete. For example, at a hardware store, the person who used to cut keys

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is now replaced by a robot. In offices, the clerks have been replaced by softwares. We already
have softwares that proof read papers and articles. This type of shift in jobs will result in income
inequality and will result in instability.
Experts fear that robots and automation will replace routine work, as such of factory workers,
lawyers, and accountants. Although AI wont replace the tast of non routine jobs, which are
complex and exist at the top of the market. This will in no way prevent the losses in the middle
and bottom layer of the market.

The question now arises how do we adapt to a newer workplace where we sit beside robots. How
do we enable the next generation of humans to survive and make a living in a world of robots
and AI. Experts believe that the current educational system is not up to date to match the skills
and power of automation. They believe that the jobs left by robots for humans require thought,
knowledge and higher cognitive thinkning in general. They believe that educational instituitions
should adapt to newer courses at a larger scale to prepare students for the coming age.

Some experts believe this whole notion of pros vs cons of AI to be confusing and people dont
realise potential of this technology. They believe that people will steer technology depending on
the social structure as a whole, and not against it.

Advancement in technology is a choice, not a consequence.