Are AI Agents Taking Jobs?

Are AI Agents Taking Jobs?

At first, artificial intelligence (AI) job displacement was considered a concerning prediction but now, AI agents have already started taking jobs. The market has seen the impact of technological job elimination upon businesses and the results are driving more AI integration to save time, money, and labor.

Still, AI job loss predictions range from optimistic that AI will elevate positions more than it will replace them to Bill Gates' prediction that AI will replace jobs in every field but developers, biologists, and energy experts.

The phenomenon of jobs lost to automation is more nuanced than just pure human replacement. Even Shopify's CEO, who recently asked employees to prove AI can't do their job, suggested an environment where AI agents work alongside humans.

I can't answer what jobs will AI replace by 2030. I can't calculate how many hobs will AI replace by 2050. What I can do though, is dive into what jobs have been impacted by AI agents, what jobs should expect AI collaborations, and what jobs are safe from replacement.

Jobs Lost to Artificial intelligence

Specific industries and roles are at a higher risk of artificial intelligence job loss than others. Job loss due to AI is often because the role doesn't require the advantages of hiring human workers. These impending jobs lost to AI:

Customer Service: AI agents have already starting taking on the role of virtual assistants in eCommerce, healthcare, and more. Customer service jobs, although requiring some emotional intelligence, can't bypass the advantages AI agents offer like being able to collect and mine data instantly, communicate in any language, or 24/7 availability.

Data Entry: AI agents are great at automating repetitive tasks instantly and that's what most data processing or extraction is. These jobs are at a high risk of full replacement by artificial intelligence.

Retail: Technological advancement has already impacted a number of retail stores, and if you've been lucky enough to visit one, you must've encountered self-checkout kiosks and smart shelves that allow customers to effortlessly take an item, leave, and get their cards charged upon exit.

Roles That Will Feature Collaboration With AI Technology

These roles face a smaller threat of losing jobs to AI because they require some level of human enguiniety and creativity. Perhaps when artificial general intelligence (AGI) is developed, then even these roles will be replaced but for now, the creative labor market is safe from total job loss due to artificial intelligence.

Here are some of the roles that will be changed by AI and automation:

Creative Fields: AI and machine learning can only access data that has already been published. Creatives are able to develop new ideas to add to the pool, making them indispensable to the labor market. Creatives might have to lead AI agents instead of creative staffs, consolidating some creative roles in favor of collaboration.

Education: Students are using AI and so are teachers at incredible rates. However, teachers aren't going to be replaced anytime soon. Human connection is integral to a student's learning process. Now though, with AI tutors helping teach and AI agents shaping personalized curricula, the tools are available to help every student according to their unique needs.

Healthcare Professionals: Doctors and nurses won't necessarily get replaced but certain roles to assist in diagnostics or patient summaries might be removed or reshaped by AI.

Legal Professionals: With AI powered research being utilized by lawyers, lower positions in law firms that those tasks might usually be conducted by are at risk of displacement. Law firms will feature AI driven collaborations between legal professionals and AI agents.

Types of Jobs AI Systems Can't Replace

Skilled Trades: Plummers, electricians, and carpenters need not worry. There is a larger risk that YouTube videos will impact these fields more than AI. Even robots don't pose much of a threat to these key roles.

Hospitality: When you travel and stay in a hotel, human connection is a necessary part of knowing you're safe and accommodated. The hospitality industry is based in human connection and I can't imagine software developers creating an AI that can replace them.

Entrepreneurship: The human drive to create and contribute to humanity and the economic market is the engine which created AI in the first place. It may be able to brainstorm ideas, but AI doesn't have the human ability to sacrifice for and pursue those ideas into entrepreneurship.

Jobs Created by AI

What many grim predictions of how many jobs will AI replace forget to mention is how many jobs AI will create. This World Economic Forum article breaks down the role of AI in job creation.

The article breaks down three key human roles in AI development and integration. They are: Trainers, Explainers, and Sustainers. Trainers develop the AI systems we use. Explainers disseminate AI to the public, teaching them how to use the tools. And sustainers ensure the usage of these tools are being optimized.

Within these roles, there will be numerous new job opportunities unlocked so businesses can integrate AI without sacrificing their staffs and so humans can engage with this new technology and learn new skills.