FORBES LEADERSHIP CAREERS

How AI Will Impact The

Future Of Work And Life

Ashley Stahl Contributor Follow

Mar 10, 2021, 09:00am EST

Listen to article 13 minutes

How will humans and AI work together in the future? GETTY

AI, or artificial intelligence, seems to be on the tip of everyone’s

tongue these days. While I’ve been aware of this major trend in tech
development for a while, I’ve noticed AI appearing more and more
as one of the most in-demand areas of expertise for job seekers.

I’m sure that for many of us, the term “AI” conjures up sci-fi
fantasies or fear about robots taking over the world. The depictions
of AI in the media have run the gamut, and while no one can
predict exactly how it will evolve in the future, the current trends
and developments paint a much different picture of how AI will
become part of our lives.

In reality, AI is already at work all around us, impacting everything

from our search results, to our online dating prospects, to the way
we shop. Data shows that the use of AI in many sectors of business
has grown by 270% over the last four years.

But what will AI mean for the future of work? As computers and
technology have evolved, this has been one of the most pressing
questions. As with many technological developments throughout
history, the advancement of artificial intelligence has created fears
that human workers will become obsolete.

The reality is probably a lot less dire, but maybe even more
complicated.

What is AI?

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Before we do a deep dive on the ways in which AI will impact the

future of work, it’s important to start simple: what is AI? A
straightforward definition from Britannica states that artificial
intelligence is “the ability of a digital computer or computer-
controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with
intelligent beings.”

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“AI” has become a catchall term to describe any advancements in

computing, systems and technology in which computer programs
can perform tasks or solve problems that require the kind of reason
we associate with human intelligence, even learning from past
processes.

This ability to learn is a key component of AI. Algorithms, like the

dreaded Facebook algorithm that replaced all our friends with
sponsored content, are often associated with AI. But there is a key
distinction.

As software journalist Kaya Ismail writes, an algorithm is simply a

“set of instructions,” a formula for processing data. AI takes this to
another level, and can be made up of a set of algorithms that have
the capacity to change and rewrite themselves in response to the
data inputted, hence displaying “intelligence.”

AI will probably not make human workers obsolete, at

least not for a long time

To put some of your fears to bed: the robots are probably not
coming for your jobs, at least not yet.

Given how artificial intelligence has been portrayed in the media, in

particular in some of our favorite sci-fi movies, it’s clear that the
advent of this technology has created fear that AI will one day make
human beings obsolete in the workforce. After all, as technology
has advanced, many tasks that were once executed by human hands
have become automated. It’s only natural to fear that the leap
toward creating intelligent computers could herald the beginning of
the end of work as we know it.

But, I don’t think there is any reason to be so fatalistic. A recent

paper published by the MIT Task Force on the Work of the Future
entitled “Artificial Intelligence And The Future of Work,” looked
closely at developments in AI and their relation to the world of
work. The paper paints a more optimistic picture.

Rather than promoting the obsolescence of human labor, the paper

predicts that AI will continue to drive massive innovation that will
fuel many existing industries and could have the potential to create
many new sectors for growth, ultimately leading to the creation of
more jobs.

While AI has made major strides toward replicating the efficacy of

human intelligence in executing certain tasks, there are still major
limitations. In particular, AI programs are typically only capable of
“specialized” intelligence, meaning they can solve only one
problem, and execute only one task at a time. Often, they can be
rigid, and unable to respond to any changes in input, or perform
any “thinking” outside of their prescribed programming.

Humans, however, possess “generalized intelligence,” with the kind

of problem solving, abstract thinking and critical judgement that
will continue to be important in business. Human judgement will
be relevant, if not in every task, then certainly throughout every
level across all sectors.
There are many other factors that could limit runaway
advancement in AI. AI often requires “learning” which can involve
massive amounts of data, calling into question the availability of
the right kind of data, and highlighting the need for categorization
and issues of privacy and security around such data. There is also
the limitation of computation and processing power. The cost of
electricity alone to power one supercharged language model AI was
estimated at $4.6 million.

Another important limitation of note is that data can itself carry

bias, and be reflective of societal inequities or the implicit biases of
the designers who create and input the data. If there is bias in the
data that is inputted into an AI, this bias is likely to carry over to
the results generated by the AI.

There has even been a bill introduced into Congress entitled the
Algorithmic Accountability Act with the goal of forcing the Federal
Trade Commission to investigate the use of any new AI technology
for the potential to perpetuate bias.

Based on these factors and many others, the MIT CCI paper argues
that we are a long way from reaching a point in which AI is
comparable to human intelligence, and could theoretically replace
human workers entirely.

Provided there is investment at all levels, from education to the

private sector and governmental organizations—anywhere that
focuses on training and upskilling workers—AI has the potential to
ultimately create more jobs, not less. The question should then
become not “humans or computers” but “humans and computers”
involved in complex systems that advance industry and prosperity.

This paper is a fascinating read for anyone hoping to dive deeper

into AI and the many potential directions in which it may lead.
AI Is becoming standard in all businesses, not just in the
world of tech

A couple times recently, AI has come up in conversation with a

client or an associate, and I’m noticing a fallacy in how people are
thinking about it. There seems to be a sense for many that it is a
phenomenon that is only likely to have big impacts in the tech
world.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the tech world is the world these days.
Don’t ever forget when economist Paul Krugman said in 1998 that
“By 2005 or so, it will become clear that the Internet’s impact on
the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s.” You
definitely don’t want to be behind the curve when it comes to AI.

In fact, 90% of leading businesses already have ongoing investment

in AI technologies. More than half of businesses that have
implemented some manner of AI-driven technology report
experiencing greater productivity.

AI is likely to have a strong impact on certain sectors in particular:

Medical:

The potential benefits of utilizing AI in the field of medicine are

already being explored. The medical industry has a robust amount
of data, which can be utilized to create predictive models related to
healthcare. Additionally, AI has shown to be more effective than
physicians in certain diagnostic contexts.

Automotive:

We’re already seeing how AI is impacting the world of

transportation and automobiles with the advent of autonomous
vehicles and autonomous navigation. AI will also have a major
impact on manufacturing, including within the automotive sector.

Cybersecurity:

Cybersecurity is front of mind for many business leaders, especially

considering the spike in cybersecurity breaches throughout 2020.
Attacks rose 600% during the pandemic as hackers capitalized on
people working from home, on less secure technological systems
and Wi-Fi networks. AI and machine learning will be critical tools
in identifying and predicting threats in cybersecurity. AI will also
be a crucial asset for security in the world of finance, given that it
can process large amounts of data to predict and catch instances of
fraud.

E-Commerce:

AI will play a pivotal role in e-commerce in the future, in every

sector of the industry from user experience to marketing to
fulfillment and distribution. We can expect that moving forward, AI
will continue to drive e-commerce, including through the use of
chat-bots, shopper personalization, image-based targeting
advertising, and warehouse and inventory automation.

AI can have a big impact on the job search

If you are moving forward with the hope that a hiring manager may
give you the benefit of the doubt on a small misstep within the
application, you might be in for a rude awakening. AI already plays
a major role in the hiring process, so much so that up to 75% of
resumes are rejected by an automated applicant tracking system, or
ATS, before they even reach a human being.

In the past, recruiters have had to devote considerable time to

poring over resumes to look for relevant candidates. Data from
LinkedIn shows that recruiters can spend up to 23 hours looking
over resumes for one successful hire.

Increasingly, however, resume scanning is being done by AI-

powered programs. In 2018, 67% of hiring managers stated that AI
was making their jobs easier.

Despite the increasing prevalence of automation and algorithms in

the hiring process, many have been critical of the use of certain
types of AI by hiring managers, based on the charge that it can
perpetuate and ever create more bias in hiring.

One particular example is illustrated by HireVue, a startup whose

initial services included technology which aimed to use facial
recognition software and psychology to determine the potential
effectiveness of a candidate in a certain role. The Electronic Privacy
Information Center filed a lawsuit with the Federal Trade
Commission alleging that this software had the potential to
perpetuate bias and prejudice. HireVue discontinued use of facial
recognition software in early 2021, and now uses audio analysis and
natural language processing.

It’s clear that the use of certain types of AI in the hiring process will
likely be controversial as new technology develops. However, if
potential employers are using AI to process your application, there
is no reason that you cannot be utilizing similar technology to your
advantage.

Jobscan is an excellent resource that provides similar

resume scanning to what would be used by a hiring
manager. By comparing your resume to a job description,
Jobscan will give you information on how to tweak your
resume so that it is a good match for a certain position, with
the goal of “beating” an application tracking system (ATS).
 Jobseer is a browser add-on, and another great AI-based
tool for those on the job market. Based on a scan of your
resume, as well as keywords and skills related to your
desired jobs, Jobseer will help match you with the job
listings that best fit your experience. For each listing, you get
a rating based on how well you are aligned with the
particular posting, as well as recommendations of skills to
add to better position your resume and experience.

Rezi: Now, as a disclaimer, I would never encourage you to

turn your resume writing over to a bot. But Rezi is an
awesome AI-based resume builder that includes templates to
help you design a resume that is sure to check the boxes
when it comes to applicant tracking systems. This is a great
jumping off point to kickstart a new resume. Another great
way to use this type of tool is to generate a new resume, and
compare it to your current resume to see how it stacks up,
and identify some areas for improvement.

AI is also a great place to focus your energy if you are looking to

upskill in your career, or make your professional profile more
competitive in the job market, especially when you consider that AI
will have such far-reaching impacts across many industries.

AI and machine learning are at the top of many lists of the most
important skills in today's job market. Jobs requesting AI or
machine-learning skills are expected to increase by 71% in the next
five years. If you’d like to expand your knowledge base in this
arena, consider some of the great free online course offerings that
focus on AI skills.

If you are tech savvy, it would be wise to dive deep and learn as
much as you can about interacting in the AI space. If your skills lie
elsewhere, it is important to recognize that AI will have a big
impact, and to the extent of your abilities, you should try to
understand the fundamentals of how it functions in different
sectors.

AI is definitely here to stay, whether we like it or not. Personally, I

don’t think we have anything to be afraid of. The best way to move
forward is to be aware of and adapt to the new technology around
us, AI included.

This article was updated on April 16, 2021, to reflect changes in

HireVue’s assessment tools.

Ashley Stahl Follow

I'm a career coach, keynote speaker, podcast host (You Turn Podcast) and
author, here to help you step into a... Read More

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