Jobs Being Replaced

While artificial intelligence does have the ability to replace some peoples jobs, it also has the ability to complement them too through augmentation. In an article written by Esteve Almirall and Feichin Ted Tschang, titled “Artificial Intelligence As Augmenting Automation: Implications For Employment”, they mention how many companies are using artificial intelligence to increase productivity for their employees by removing the routine and unnecessary work which is completed by artificial intelligence. Since this work is not needed to be done by employees, this gives the employee the ability to work on the more important tasks at hand. Overall, artificial intelligence has the ability to increase efficiency and productivity, as well as decrease costs for businesses. This is why more employees who are doing more routine work are being cut and replaced by artificial intelligence. Examples of these include self check out lines at grocery stores, banks with smart ATM's, and automated accountancy platforms. 

A study conducted in December of 2018 and into January 2019 aimed to give insight on how managers view the future in regards to how artificial intelligence will affect employment. The managers that were used for the study were interviewed and all varied in the specific industry they are involved in as well as the size of the organization they manage. There were eleven managers used in the study which included mostly business and finance managers, but also other organizations such as  healthcare, transportation, energy, and a few more. From this study, the information and feedback received by the managers were separated into the biggest themes taken away from the interviews. The first theme was about decreasing costs by cutting employees and replacing them with artificial intelligence. The second theme is about enhancing an organization's efficiency with the aid of artificial intelligence. The third theme discusses how artificial intelligence is not fit for every position. Some examples that managers bring up for this are doing a job interview or having to tell patients news in healthcare. In certain scenarios, having a human element and presence is needed. The few final themes revolved around how managers discussed that the actual skill sets and roles that managers as well as employees have will change. With artificial intelligence changing the way businesses operate, the managers and employees will have to adapt to these changes.

In closing, the primary and most important reasons for human jobs being taken over by artificial intelligence comes down to time and money. Arguably the two most important things in business. It is nothing personal against employees, but when businesses have the opportunity to decrease spending and increase efficiency, they are going to jump on that opportunity. There is still much to learn and improve on with artificial intelligence, and as that happens more jobs start to become replaceable. 

Sources:

Vorobeva, D., El Fassi, Y., Costa Pinto, D., Hildebrand, D., Herter, M. M., & Mattila, A. S. (2022). Thinking Skills Don’t Protect Service Workers from Replacement by Artificial Intelligence. Journal of Service Research, 25(4), 601–613. https://doi.org/10.1177/10946705221104312 

Tschang, F. T., & Almirall, E. (2021). Artificial Intelligence as Augmenting Automation: Implications for Employment. Academy of Management Perspectives, 35(4), 642–659. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2019.0062 

Mrowinski, B., Brougham, D., & Tappin, D. (2019). Managers’ Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence and Automation: Insights into the Future of Work. New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations, 44(3), 76–91