The emergence of AI, especially generative AI (GenAI), carries the capability to significantly enhance productivity and form new industries, though there is a risk of further deepening the technological disparity between the tech-savvy and the digitally disadvantaged. While certain jobs may become obsolete, new ones will spring up. The challenge society faces is how to fully capitalise on these novel technologies without isolating any part of the population from their potential benefits.
“The conversation about AI’s impact on employment is not as black and white as it being just a creator or destroyer of jobs,” suggests David Lee, PwC Ireland’s CTO. “The effect of AI will diverge across various job groups and sectors. In gauging the impact, it’s useful to differentiate between an entire job and the individual tasks that constitute it. AI will inevitably automate numerous tasks in a range of existing professions. However, this does not necessarily spell the end of the job, rather an evolution of it.”
Cait Mulcahy, who is at the helm of capability and automation at Three Ireland, embraces a hopeful outlook. “Past technological advancements have displaced specific roles but have also paved the way for new opportunities. The emergence of mobile telecommunications and the internet in the last quarter of a century has propelled the creation of extensive new industries and job opportunities. It’s therefore plausible to predict that, over time, AI will generate more jobs than it eliminates. AI will yield the creation of new roles – some of which are foreseeable, like AI technicians, and others that are yet to be conceived, thereby stimulating job creation and economic expansion.”
Mulcahy mentions that new jobs have already begun to materialise due to the technology. “Three has now begun to engage robotic process automation specialists, messaging bot developers and data scientists – roles that were non-existent a decade ago. As AI progresses, it will inevitably give birth to a range of roles in the STEM fields. Moreover, as AI takes root, roles focussed on ethics, education and training will become increasingly necessary due to the ethical dimensions associated with AI.”
PwC’s forecast for AI-related careers in 2024 indicates a growth rate of 3.5 times faster for jobs requesting unique AI expertise compared to all job openings since 2016, explains Lee. He highlights the key importance of newly created roles such as AI ethicists, responsible for ensuring that AI mechanisms adhere to ethical guidelines and avoid reiterating biases. Moreover, jobs like AI-produced work evaluators are expected to surface with a duty to evaluate content for its quality, precision, and adherence to ethical standards. Positions like data custodians will be essential in managing and organising the large volume of data required to train complex AI models. It’s crucial to remember that in an AI-centric world, human judgement and skills, including communication, remain vital.
Additionally, it’s not just about integrating new roles into a workforce. Organisations need to concentrate on developing skills and reshaping work, says Gary Notley, Deloitte Ireland advising partner on human resources. Notley suggests the initial step involves comprehending what ‘work’ means and types of jobs within the business, before analysing how AI influences them – whether that effect is simple, such as automation, or more complex, requiring synergy between humans and machines. From there, the next step is to break down jobs into individual tasks and skills, understanding the effect of skills on each job, and promoting a culture of ongoing learning. Consequently, work and its related processes will have to be redesigned to effectively incorporate generative AI.
Lee also emphasises we have a societal obligation to prevent AI from creating or exacerbating any existing inequalities in the job market. Our research has led to a strong understanding among bosses about the importance of investing in upskilling their current employees to harness the potential of AI. Nonetheless, the capacity to finance this form of upskilling varies between organisations. State agencies supporting the SME sector must stay current with this requirement. Moreover, it’s crucial to ensure that those out of the workforce or awaiting to join are equipped with the necessary skills to compete in an AI-dominated job market. This not only includes AI-related technical skills, but also creativity, data literacy, and a willingness to learn continuously, which we should instil through primary and secondary education.
Mulcahy from Three emphasises that change is a constant factor, but it is our responsibility to aid those likely to be impacted by offering them ways to capitalise on new horizons. Three operates schemes like our Digital Academy and Citizen Developer offerings that promote the absorption of cutting-edge technologies, including AI and automation. These schemes allocate time and resources for our staff to acquire new proficiencies and utilise them in their jobs. By nurturing an environment of ongoing education and capacity building, we make sure everyone gets a chance to flourish in a transforming tech environment. Other establishments can take this precisely executed model to guide their staff through parallel transitions.
However, the attention given to the skills issue by companies may not suffice, says the 2024 Deloitte Human Capital Trends report. The report suggests that 75% of global organisations have plans to expedite their AI usage in the upcoming five years whilst only 13% of employees have been given training related to AI in the preceding year.
Notley recommends that companies should inject funds into AI proficiency programmes to guarantee every employee has a basic comprehension of AI’s capacity and consequences. Also, creating an environment that applauds exploration and learning is important. This can speed up the acceptance and command over generative AI, leading to safe spaces for individuals to trial and seek new work methods, thereby nurturing trust and confidence whilst they acquire new skills and innovate.
Lee rounds off by pointing out another serious societal concern. “The increased emphasis that AI application will lay on Stem-related abilities should not cause the currently skewed gender balance within the Stem field to widen. To prevent the occurrence of this issue, it is crucial we implement a proactive strategy,”, Lee concludes.