According to the ILO, only 24% of administrative tasks are considered highly exposed to automation. According to the report, whether AI technology has a positive or negative impact on work depends largely on how workers use it. The ILO revealed that the effects of AI on employment vary from country to country, due to differences in occupational structures.
A recent report published by the International Labor Organization (ILO) revealed that, contrary to what many think, AI would not replace existing jobs, but rather complement them.
There are many fears around the scope of Artificial Intelligence (AI), but apparently some of them are unfounded. The ILO recently published a document called Generative AI and Jobs: A Global Solution Analysis of Possible Effects on Employment, where it assures that AI would not replace current jobs.
AI Would Not Replace Jobs: Technology Would Be a Tool
The ILO claims that technological advances tend to feel more immediate in the workplace. Therefore, whether AI technology has a positive or negative impact depends largely on how workers use it.
The report suggests that the biggest impact of this technology is likely not to be job destruction, but rather potential changes in the quality of jobs, particularly work intensity and autonomy.
“Administrative work is the category with the highest technology exposure, with almost a quarter of tasks considered highly exposed and more than half of tasks with medium-level exposure. In other professional groups, such as managers, professionals and technicians, only a small part of the tasks were considered highly exposed, while about a quarter had a medium level of exposure.”
“Probably the most important impact of technology is to increase work (automate some tasks within an occupation and leave time for other tasks) rather than fully automate occupations.”
The ILO report also revealed that only 24% of administrative tasks are considered highly exposed to automation. For their part, an additional 58% have medium-level exposure. For the agency, the effects of AI on employment vary depending on the country, due to the difference in occupational structures.
“In low-income countries, only 0.4% of total employment is potentially exposed to the effects of automation, while in high-income countries the proportion rises to 5.5%.”
The ILO reveals that although AI would not generally replace current jobs, women are the most affected by AI automation.
“3.7% of all female employment in the world corresponds to jobs potentially automatable with generative AI technology, compared to only 1.4% of male employment.”
The Importance of Legislation Around AI
The document published by the ILO warns that laws are needed to regulate the application of AI in the workplace. To date, much of the AI regulation debate has ignored its potential effects on working conditions.
“AI tools can aggravate power relations in the workplace, especially if workers cannot access the data used to survey their workers. There should be mechanisms in place to assess the use of technology in the workplace.”
In addition to what is mentioned in the study, and in order to establish greater security for users. Joe Biden proposed in March 2023 that AI systems build in security measures from the start, rather than add on over time. In this way, the president believes that the safety of citizens could be further protected.
By Audy Castaneda
