By Zak Amin
Artificial intelligence and automation are really changing how we work. A new report from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, entitled “Unlocking Economic Prosperity,” describes how these technologies are affecting job content and why we need to evolve how we support workers.
It makes businesses efficient and automatizes new ideas. For example, AI is helping doctors with more accurate diagnosis and opened a stream of new jobs in the works of AI ethics consultants who ensure that AI tools are working fairly and responsibly.
These technologies also bring challenges. One major issue is that too many jobs are being replaced by machines—for example, in retail and manufacturing. For instance, self-service checkouts in shops and automatic production lines in factories replace what workaholics used to do. Strong retraining programs are needed to help workers who have lost their jobs due to automation. These programs could enable people to learn new skills and find other types of work.
Another issue is that the requirement for new skills is increasing, thus fueling inequality. If AI technology keeps improving, companies will demand workers with skills in data science, machine learning, and cyber security. New workers need to develop these skills in order to be competitive. Old workers who had got accustomed to traditional jobs find it very hard to keep up with these new demands.
Further challenges occur in a region like Kurdistan. These are unstable electricity and high internet prices, which complicate the use of AI and automation to a great extent. All of this is going to act to slow down progress, adding more problems for workers and businesses.
One of the things, according to the National Fund’s report, is to develop a system providing for flexibility in supporting workers throughout their careers so that they can adapt to these changes. This would mean continued learning for people keeping up with new skills and partnerships between technology companies, schools, and charities finding effective solutions.
It was only recently that I experienced something that brought some of these issues before my mind. One evening, while I was out to shop in Moorhead, I passed by a woman who was obviously very frustrated with a self-checkout machine. There were no cashiers to help her out, so she looked around hopefully for someone to assist her but couldn’t find any. I felt the urge to help but did not know whether that would be appropriate or not, probably even invading her space. The whole situation got me thinking things could really be this way in the future, with more and more jobs being done by technology and fewer people around to assist.
While AI and automation bring a million opportunities, they are significantly fraught with major challenges. There needs to be some balance between innovation and authentic support so that all workers get the real opportunity to gain from technological progress. Working together to find solutions, we can create a future where everyone has a chance to be successful in a changed job market.