Will AI Replace My Job?

Several of my clients have recently expressed concerns about Artificial Intelligence (AI) potentially replacing their jobs and/or skills.  

Does AI Pose a threat to the future of work?  A new generation of smart machines, fueled by rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics, could potentially replace a large proportion of existing human jobs. According to a report by investment bank Goldman Sachs, artificial intelligence (AI) could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs and could replace a quarter of work tasks in the US and Europe.  In March 2023, Forbes reported that "According to an MIT and Boston University report, AI is expected to replace as many as two million manufacturing workers by 2025." 

This fear is supported by the rapid rise of numerous AI applications such as ChatGPT or Google’s BARD; even specialized programs that can draw, analyze economic trends, write articles or scripts.  In fact, more recently, in April 2023, the Writer’s Guild of America, which represents the major film and television studios in Hollywood, voted to go on strike not only for salary increases and benefits, but also to specifically forbid the use of AI by these studios.  Clearly, this technology is perceived as a threat.  In fact, on June 11, journalist Fareed Zakaria interviewed Geoffrey Hinton, often referred to as "the father of A.I." about potential threats from the technology.  Hinton asserts that "it will be hard for humans to control artificial intelligence once it becomes smarter than we are."  See video of broadcast.  

Not all is gloom and doom, though. On the brighter side, AI may also mean new job creation and a productivity boom.  AI is also expected to drive innovation and create new business sectors that could lead to the creation of more jobs.  AI will transform the nature of work and the workplace itself by replacing menial, repetitive or labor-intensive work with machines, and even perform some tasks beyond human capabilities.  (This, of course, may not be a blessing for those workers who perform those tasks today).  

It’s important to keep an eye out for new, emerging opportunities and familiarize yourself with the new tools and technologies, and discover how they can help you build your skills and support your career.

How can AI help us find jobs?  Tools like ChatGPT or Google’s BARD, and other AI technologies, if used correctly, can improve your chance of landing a job in several ways:

• Writing cover letters tailored to job postings

• Collecting potential or common interview questions and identifying typical responses

• Inquiring about the most important job qualifications for a particular role

• Comparing your resume with a job description to:

  • Provide a percentage score for how well your resume matches the job description 

  • Identify areas where your skills or qualifications may not be up to par; and

  • Suggest key skills (and words) that should be added to your resume

• Identifying candidate companies in your geography

• Exploring competitors (and similar businesses) of companies you are targetingIdentifying salary ranges for specific roles or regions of the country

• Researching information on interviewers and company management

• Conduct an interview and evaluate your performance

One important factor to remember is to avoid using canned output directly generated from these tools.  Put your own personal touch on what is provided.  For example, a ChatGPT-generated cover letter can easily be identified as machine-generated and, if discovered by a recruiter, will eliminate you as a viable candidate.  Be very careful about using ChatGBT or BARD; both tools do occasionally produce errors in sources cited as well as grammar and syntax.  They aren't human, after all.

These tools are intended to enhance and support your research, and offer valuable assistance, as cited here.  However, you should always plan to personalize cover letters, resumes, and of course your interview responses.