Four out of 10 U.S. businessmen predict that there will be layoffs next year due to artificial intelligence. Thirty-seven percent of companies using AI technology said they fired their employees this year. Analysts say that concerns that AI will replace workers are becoming a reality.
CNBC and other foreign media reported on the 16th (local time), citing a report by Rezume Builder, a U.S. job search platform. The company conducted an online survey of 750 businessmen earlier this month. As a result, 37 percent of businessmen thought that AI technology has replaced their workers this year. In addition, 44 percent said that layoffs will occur next year due to management efficiency caused by the introduction of AI technology.
Fifty-three percent of the respondents said they are currently using AI, and 24 percent said they will use it next year. Eighty percent of the respondents said they have already introduced AI or will do so next year. “Hiring full-time employees for customer service is expensive for companies,” said Julia Tuacre, resume and career strategist at Resume Builder. “AI is the most common alternative to customer service.” In addition, research and document summarization were most frequently mentioned for AI utilization. In Asana’s 2023 Report on the Status of AI at Work, a global work collaboration tool, workers said 29 percent of their work can be replaced by AI.
However, the report analyzed that the more people understand human-centered AI, the more they believe it will have a positive impact on their work.
CNBC explained that while layoffs are occurring due to Generative AI, there is no historical evidence that such technological advances have led to mass unemployment.
He added that the labor force has a history of flexible changes, and that the increase in technical capabilities can lead to “higher value” work and increase productivity.
As companies have been active in introducing AI, their preference for hiring workers who have the ability to utilize it has also been high. Most (96%) of the respondents said they will hire applicants with AI skills when hiring next year. In addition, 4 out of 5 companies (83%) said, “Employment security for employees with AI skills will be higher than those who do not.” “The introduction of AI provides more efficiency,” Tueycre said. “We need to find ways for employees to be able to use AI and increase their expertise in the field.”
There are other findings that AI technology is replacing jobs. In the 2023 Report on AI Status at Work by Asana, a global work collaboration tool platform, 29% of workers answered that AI can be replaced. Some raised concerns that AI is in full swing in replacing human jobs as the craze for generated AI blew with the advent of ChatGPT late last year. CNBC responded, “Although layoffs are taking place with the introduction of AI, there is no historical evidence that such technological advances have led to mass unemployment,” and added, “With technological advances, productivity can increase and we can move to work that pursues higher values.”
JULIE KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
