Artificial intelligence is a hot topic, but many of its impending changes are hypothetical. … [+]
After a year defined by new buzz around artificial intelligence, the question on my mind heading into 2024 is where we will start to see the long-term impact of AI. One obvious candidate is the job market.
How do I see the evolving impact of AI creating trends, challenges, and opportunities for the professional world?
Impact of AI on recruitment
AI has already been a mainstay among recruiters for years. They use intelligent technology to identify ideal candidates and cherry-pick applications from a plethora of applications. In 2024, candidates are looking to change the game when it comes to AI in recruiting.
This is primarily because many tools are becoming more accessible to the average job seeker. For example, Teal offers job seekers a suite of AI-powered tools, including a resume builder, cover letter generator, LinkedIn profile analysis, and job application tracking.
As the job market evolves, both employers and employers will deploy more and more AI solutions to gain a cutting edge edge. This is a trend that will only grow in the coming months.
AI will change existing roles
Although AI is often seen as a job killer, it is more accurate to call it a job redefiner. In most cases, AI does not eliminate important work. On the contrary, even though they develop greater abilities, they still deal with simpler things compared to humans.
According to a recent LinkedIn article, “Repetitive tasks, by their very nature, consume significant amounts of time and resources. They often require human intervention and are prone to error, fatigue, and inconsistency.” Introducing AI, a technology that can perform these tasks energetically, consistently, and without typical human variation.”
This creates new opportunities for employees to focus on meaningful, high-value activities. The result is jobs with more specific and nuanced requirements. At the same time, these positions don't get bogged down in simple, time-consuming minutiae.
AI naturally creates new opportunities
The presence and rapid adoption of AI will naturally create demand for jobs in the field. As companies look for ways to leverage the efficiency and profitability of AI systems, humans will need to take the lead.
This pioneering stage requires software engineers, data scientists, and other specialized talent. This opens up new skills that employees can learn to gain a competitive edge.
AI also has a negative impact on work
Of course, it's not all good news for those working with AI. A recent survey by ResumeBuilder reported that 44% of companies expect new AI capabilities to cause layoffs in 2024.
Having said that, it is worth pointing out that this appears to be primarily concerned with the weeding out of simpler activities within day-to-day business pursuits. Among respondents, 83% revealed that as far as existing employees are concerned, AI skills will be a factor in helping them retain their jobs.
The future is bright for those willing to embrace AI. For jobs that AI can quickly replace, we need to start developing new skills.
The transition to AI won't happen quickly
It is tempting to look ahead and sound the alarm on AI. There is no doubt that change is on the horizon, and some hard-working employees will eventually lose their jobs.
But it's alarming to think that an apocalyptic future could be upon us in the coming months. Pew Research reports that the transition to AI will likely take more than half a century.
Furthermore, as much of the data above indicates, most of the changes are horizontal shifts or improvements. Will some jobs be automated? Yes. Will others evolve over time? absolutely. Additionally, some companies will grow out of the need for AI. What is certain going forward in 2024 is that AI will become a major component of the workforce, and human workers and employers will have to be prepared to adapt on a daily basis.
