AI and jobs
How AI is changing work, what AI does well and what people do best, new jobs, and how to get ready.
Will AI take people's jobs? The real answer is more interesting. Many people worry that A I will take their jobs. It's a fair question. The honest answer is that A I is changing many jobs. Some tasks will be done by A I, some jobs will shrink, and new jobs will appear. That's what happened when computers arrived too.
Who does it best?
A I is good at sorting and searching huge amounts of information, making first drafts of writing and pictures, and answering simple, common questions. People do best at caring for and understanding others, leading, making decisions and building trust, and skilled hands-on work, like fixing a car or doing hair.
AI as a helper at work
In many jobs, A I becomes a helper. A tailor can use it to write adverts for new designs, a farmer can get weather forecasts and crop advice, a nurse can get help with notes and reminders, and a phone repairer can look up repair guides. The skilled work is still done by people.
Jobs growing with AI
Some jobs are growing because of A I, like data analysts, who find meaning in data, A I engineers, who build and improve A I systems, data labellers, who prepare the examples A I learns from, and people who test A I for safety and fairness. Many experts say that the people who know how to use A I well, safely and wisely, will have a big advantage at work. And here's the good news. By taking this course, you're already learning how.
How to get ready
Here's how to get ready. First, learn how A I works, and how to use it well. Second, build people skills, like communication, teamwork and kindness. A I can't replace those. Third, keep learning new tools. Technology keeps changing, so learning never stops. And fourth, look for problems in your community that A I could help solve. That's where new jobs come from.
Quick check
Quick check. Which skill is hardest for A I to replace? Caring for and understanding people. Human skills matter more than ever. Options: Caring for and understanding people; Sorting thousands of emails; Writing a first draft of an advert; Searching for information.
Recap
A I changes jobs, and creates new ones. A I is good at sorting, drafts and simple questions. People are best at care, leadership and skilled work. So learn to use A I well, and keep learning.
Key points
- AI is changing many jobs: some tasks will be done by AI, some jobs will shrink and new jobs will appear, as happened when computers arrived.
- AI is good at sorting information, first drafts and simple questions. People do best at caring, leading, building trust and skilled hands-on work.
- In many jobs AI becomes a helper, such as writing adverts for a tailor or giving weather advice to a farmer.
- Jobs growing with AI include data analysts, AI engineers, data labellers and people who test AI for safety and fairness.
- Get ready by learning to use AI, building people skills, learning new tools and looking for problems AI could help solve.
Try it: AI or people?
Who is usually better at each task today?