Dive Brief:
- Highly educated workers in highly paid roles may be one of the groups that will be most impacted by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), contrary to findings from many previous analyses on the subject, according to a report published in November by The Brookings Institution.
- Demographically, researchers for the report found few categories of workers that would be immune to the impact AI will have on their roles. From management-level employees to factory workers and analysts, including almost every gender and ethnic category, all will feel some impact from AI, according to Brookings. But the technology may be "most destined" to impact men, prime-age workers, and white and Asian American workers, researchers said.
- Those who hold a graduate or professional degree will have four times the average standardized exposure to AI as those who hold only a high school diploma, while those with a Bachelor's degree will have five times as much exposure as those with a high school degree, Brookings said.
Dive Insight:
Experts from various fields continue to debate the impact AI and other emerging technologies will have on the workforce, but most research seems to indicate a mixed bag of outcomes for workers, if anything. A July survey of HR leaders in tech industries by KPMG found slightly less than half believed AI and similar technologies would add more jobs than they would eliminate.
Though there may be some displacement involved, new technologies could also be the key to building resiliency in the workforce. Machine learning solutions, for example, can help pinpoint the skills with which employees lack experience and direct them to appropriate training. On-demand learning models offer workers, even those not traditionally on an organization's radar for learning and development, the chance to learn in personalized formats that fit their schedules.
Employers are increasingly teaming up with external partners to tackle skill gaps. Facebook, for example, has partnered with organizations like the National Urban League to expand digital skills training to workers at small businesses and non-profit organizations in the U.S. Research from entities like West Monroe Partners points to a growing sense of agreement between both workers and employers on the need to improve skills and capabilities. Even those currently in C-suite positions are not immune from the need for training.