AI will have a significant impact on jobs, the OECD said
The adoption of AI in firms is still low, but progress, falling costs, and the availability of workers with AI skills suggest an impending AI revolution in OECD countries.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), more than a quarter of jobs in their member countries rely on skills that could be easily automated with the rise of AI. Furthermore, the survey found that three out of five workers fear losing their jobs to AI in the next decade. While the impact of AI on jobs has not been significant yet, the OECD believes this may be due to the early stages of the AI revolution.
The OECD further highlighted that, on average, 27% of the labour force in their member countries holds jobs that have a high risk of automation. Particularly in Eastern European countries, there is a significant vulnerability to job automation. The OECD defines jobs at the highest risk as those involving the utilisation of more than 25 out of the 100 skills and abilities that AI experts consider easily automatable.
The aim of the survey was to assess the forthcoming AI revolution in OECD countries, as indicated by the rapid progress, falling costs, and availability of AI-skilled workers, which may lead to increased adoption of AI in firms. To effectively prepare for this revolution, gathering comprehensive data on AI implementation and its impact on jobs and skills is crucial.
Despite these concerns, two-thirds of workers who are already utilising AI indicated that automation had alleviated the monotony and risk associated with their jobs.