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The Arrival of Artificial Intelligence in the Workforce Creates a Dilemma: New Opportunities or Mass Layoffs?
The popularization of generative artificial intelligence tools has generated a wave of anxiety among professionals worldwide. According to a Gallup survey in June, 42% of U.S. workers use AI a few times a year, while 19% use it several times a week. Among office employees, the number is even higher: 27% use AI regularly, compared to just 9% in industry and front-line services. Still, more than half of those surveyed in a Pew study fear losing their jobs due to AI.
To cope with this transformation, large tech companies have been conducting mass layoffs. Microsoft cut more than 6,000 positions between May and June and plans to eliminate another 9,000 this month, seeking to reduce middle management and focus on AI. Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, has already announced that the company will expand the use of generative AI and intelligent agents, resulting in more cuts in the years to come. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, has even predicted that half of entry-level office jobs may disappear, creating what he calls a “white-collar bloodbath.”
AI: Supplement or Threat?
Despite the fear of replacement, experts point out that AI, for now, complements human work. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude help accelerate repetitive tasks and improve the quality of deliverables. Ethan Mollick, a Wharton professor, suggests applying the “10-Hour Rule”: dedicate that time to experimenting with AI at work and exploring its limits. He recommends investing in paid versions and testing advanced features, such as using cameras to share visual information.
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According to Mark Muro, a researcher at Brookings Metro, acquiring flexible skills is essential. A Brookings report highlights that AI excels in cognitive and non-routine tasks, common in well-paid fields like software engineering, architecture, law, and journalism. AI facilitates research, inspires ideas, and speeds up workflows, but still falls short in tasks requiring empathy and complete accuracy, such as interviews and final essays.
The Most Threatened Jobs
The situation is most critical in administrative and support roles. A Brookings study revealed that 100% of tasks for accountants and administrative assistants can be automated. Professions such as travel agents, tax preparers, and secretaries face a very high risk of extinction. Mollick warns: “The more repetitive and specific the task, the greater the vulnerability.”
It is still uncertain whether companies will use AI to improve working conditions or merely as a justification for cost-cutting. Therefore, mastering AI does not guarantee employment, but it can be a differentiator. The transition resembles the arrival of personal computers in the 1980s, but now with a direct impact on intellectual tasks. Historically, new technologies have created more jobs in the long run, but adaptation has been painful. AI could be the engine of a new Industrial Revolution, and learning to use it may be the best strategy for those looking to remain in the market.
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