I recently delivered the keynote address at a Government of Canada-sponsored event in Denver, Colorado on AI and The Future of Work.
I asked the audience: Will AI create jobs or kill them?
Most attendees were optimistic, citing AI tools like ChatGPT as job productivity boosters.
However, that optimism quickly faded when I presented data that:
- Goldman Sachs predicts that 300 million jobs could be lost due to AI
- The World Economic Forum projects that AI will eliminate 14 million jobs - faster than people can retrain
- CNN reports that a CEO replaced 90% of his workforce with a single AI chatbot to handle operations
Here’s the thing: AI isn’t just speeding up - it’s outpacing us.
Why We Need to Pay Attention Now
Every day, we’re all hearing the latest buzz about AI. Some of us may have brushed it off as just another tech trend - like the printing press, the steam engine, or the internet. Those innovations created jobs and made work better over time.
But AI is different. Here’s why:
- It doesn’t just assist - it replaces. Entire teams and industries are being wiped out by automation.
- It’s fast. What took decades in past industrial revolutions is happening in a few years.
- It’s not just targeting manual labor. AI is now coming for cognitive jobs - roles in decision-making, analysis, and creativity that we thought made us uniquely human.
It’s personal now. Our jobs could be next.
The AI Debate: Job Enhancer or Job Killer?
AI is going to shake up our work lives like no technology in human civilization has ever before.
The big question is: will it make our jobs better, or will it make us obsolete?
Let’s break it down:
The Upside of AI:
- Boosts Productivity: AI takes over repetitive tasks, freeing us for high-level critical thinking.
- Creates New Roles: AI is spawning roles like AI Ethics Officer and Prompt Engineer - jobs that didn’t exist a few years ago.
- Transforms Industries: Fields like healthcare, HR, and finance are being revolutionized by AI, leading to innovations we couldn’t have imagined.
The Downside of AI:
- Replaces Jobs: AI is taking entire jobs, not just assisting with tasks. White-collar jobs like customer support, legal contracting, and financial analysis are being automated.
- Moves Too Fast: AI is evolving so rapidly that many who lose their jobs can’t reskill or upskill fast enough.
- Widens the Social Justice Gap: The elites who develop AI get richer, while the rest of the world struggles to keep up. This could deepen social inequalities, amplifying injustice.
Is Your Job Safe from AI?
If we think AI will just amplify our human capabilities and make us smarter, we need to rethink.
AI is replacing entire industries - including the multibillion-dollar call center industry in India and the Philippines.
It’s moving faster than we can keep up with, and it’s not waiting for any of us.
Steps We Can Take Now
This isn’t about fear. It’s about action. There are steps we can take to stay ahead:
1. Upskill in AI - Immediately
AI isn’t the future; it’s the present. The quicker we learn AI skills and how to use them responsibly, the quicker we can protect our jobs. Start with Skills4Good’s Achiever Membership today.
2. Double Down on Human Superpowers
AI is fast, but it can’t replace empathy, creativity, or ethical thinking. Or at least not yet. These are our competitive advantages. Let’s hone these skills and make sure they complement AI tools.
3. Join the AI Ethics Conversation
AI isn’t evolving in a vacuum. It’s shaped by us. Let’s make sure we use AI responsibly. Engage in AI ethics discussions at work and at home to ensure we’re shaping the future we want.
Brain Boost: Why Work Matters
Work is more than just a paycheck. It’s a human right, enshrined in Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Our work gives us autonomy, identity, and dignity.
As AI reshapes industries, we must protect this human right - ensuring that jobs, and the dignity of those who hold them, aren’t easily replaced in the name of cost-savings and productivity.
Your Turn: Where Do We Stand?
Should AI be allowed to automate entire industries for profit, or should we slow down AI developments until we can ensure that we protect human jobs?
Share and let us know your thoughts. Or if there’s any AI ethics topic you want us to cover, let us know. We’d love to hear from you!
Till then, keep learning and keep mastering AI 4 Good!
Warmly,
Josephine and the Skills4Good AI Team
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