Nursing is one of the professions considered to be at the lowest risk from AI disruption. Not so, says a new report.
The profession is being influenced by artificial intelligence as apps like Clipboard Health and ShiftKey, which allow nurses to apply for shifts as gig workers, grow, according to an April report from the AI Now Institute, a nonprofit organization that studies the impact of AI on society.
These apps, which have received funding over the past few years, use automated systems to match nurses with medical facilities, set pay rates, monitor performance metrics, and more.
Katie Wells, a senior fellow at the AI Now Institute, said these apps show that AI’s impact on employment is not limited to jobs where technology could completely replace humans.
“This is my attempt to push back on the eviction debate,” Wells, one of the report’s authors, told Business Insider.
The report, titled Uber for Nursing: Part II, says nurses’ jobs, which often require manual labor, specialized knowledge and quick thinking when someone’s health is at risk, are less likely to be replaced by AI as quickly as other professions.
Whether the economy is good or bad, people still need medical care. And as the U.S. population ages, the need for nurses is expected to grow even further. This has led some to point out that nursing is a relatively safe career option, especially as AI revolutionizes careers in other fields, such as technology.
Still, gig work apps for nurses share similarities with Uber and other established gig work apps, Wells said. For both groups of apps, he said, algorithms play a key role in how users work, from determining rewards to responding to potential account deactivations.
The report cites, for example, one Georgia nurse who used gig work nursing apps to work for DoorDash and Uber Eats. The nurse pointed out similarities between nursing and delivery apps, such as automated systems and algorithms that review applications to determine pay.
One reason these apps are gaining traction is that, similar to Uber, they offer more flexibility than traditional nursing jobs. For example, nurses can apply for one shift at a time. Ride-hailing and delivery drivers often cite flexibility as a benefit of working for apps like Uber.
Gig work apps also had their drawbacks. Many gig workers say they face unpredictable pay rates and diminishing income over time.
Nursing apps could pose similar risks by using AI to manage nurses, according to a report from AI Now.
Clipboard Health and ShiftKey did not respond to requests for comment.
These apps “reflect a broader shift toward AI in the healthcare industry, as AI systems increasingly mediate worker-employer relationships and give centralized authority to those who control employment decisions,” the report said.
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