INTRO -
The coming upheaval from artificial intelligence is quite real. A study released this week finds that 80% of the US workforce will have at least 10% of their work affected by GPTs, with about one in five seeing at least half their tasks impacted.
GPT, or so-called generative pre-trained transformer, refers to models that use machine learning techniques to generate text, from answering questions to writing entire essays, that mimics a human author.
“The influence spans all wage levels, with higher-income jobs potentially facing greater exposure,” concludes the study by researchers Tyna Eloundou, Sam Manning, Pamela Mishkin, and Daniel Rock, whose affiliations span OpenAI, OpenResearch, and Wharton. “…these models could have notable economic, social, and policy implications.”
“What we should focus on is advancing human talent to use AI more effectively,” says Vilas Dhar, president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy focused on protecting human social impact through the application of emerging technologies. “Let’s acknowledge exactly what AI is good at- But remember there are things that humans do that AI cannot. You have to actively design what infrastructure to put in place to fill those gaps.”
It’s not coming; it’s already here. -
It’s worth reminding ourselves that this technological advancement has been in the works for decades, and many parts of our working lives already are run by artificial intelligence. Think tagging photos, facial ID at the airport, or your email trying to suggest what you want to say next. AI is listening to us on the phone or Zoom. A product called Gong records, transcribes, and analyzes sales calls; makes suggestions on where you can close deals quicker; and helps businesses forecast and make smarter decisions.
Job displacement is real—and hits Black and brown communities harder.
Another study to be released this morning by the Career Institute at the University of Phoenix details how different groups respond to this moment. Whereas 36% of all Americans surveyed say advancements in technology (e.g., automation, AI, robots) will negatively impact their career opportunities, that sentiment is higher among Gen Z (41%) and Millennials (41%) than Gen X (34%) and Boomers (28%). And Black (42%) and Latinx Americans (40%) see more negative impact than White Americans (34%).
There’s irony there, notes Danny Rojas, executive director of All Star Code, a nonprofit creating economic opportunity for young men of color. “The promise of robots, AI, and advanced tech is to bring us (‘the humans’) closer to simplicity, intelligence, and abundance in our daily lives,” he says. “Yet much of the data used to train machine learning algorithms do not consider ethnicity or race, perpetuating racial bias and inequity, with a disproportionate impact on communities of color.”
On the bright side, the ubiquity of AI and its application to daily life might be helpful for understanding the technology in the first place. “Easier access to these models via more user-friendly interfaces can have the effect of improving inclusivity by allowing for people who may not be native programmers,” says Chowdhury. “Training and reskilling become easier when we have AI-enabled assistants to help conceptualize, code, and visualize our materials.
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