A recent study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that artificial intelligence could perform jobs currently performed by nearly 12% of the U.S. workforce.
Based on a metric called the “iceberg index” that measures the potential for job automation, researchers conclude that AI already has the cognitive and technical capacity to handle a variety of tasks in technology, finance, healthcare, professional services, and more.
The index simulated how more than 150 million U.S. workers across nearly 1,000 occupations interact and overlap with AI capabilities. Specifically, we measure exposure to AI capabilities and how rapidly emerging technologies overlap with workers’ job skills.
The study does not aim to reveal how many workers AI has already displaced or which workers it may replace in the future. The extent to which such tools take over human tasks will depend on many factors, including the strategies of individual companies, societal acceptance, and the availability of policy interventions, the researchers say.
Researchers say the applications of AI go far beyond some of its most visible uses, such as writing computer code. Some of the ways employers across industries are using AI include:
- Financial services companies use AI for document processing and analytical support
- Healthcare providers are adapting AI to handle administrative tasks, freeing clinical staff to focus on patient care
- Manufacturers use this technology for quality control, such as testing automation.
- Logistics operators are deploying AI to handle fulfillment
The study analyzed employees’ unique skills and compared them to the capabilities of more than 13,000 AI tools. Researchers say that while AI can augment human efforts in some cases, the technology is far more transformative for other types of tasks.
For example, AI can streamline paperwork and allow nurses to spend more time with patients. It can also generate software code quickly and accurately, forcing software engineers with limited skills to shift their focus.
In addition, “[F]”Financial analysts will not go away, but AI systems have the potential to power a significant portion of document processing and routine analytical tasks. This will reshape how roles are structured and which skills remain in demand, without necessarily reducing headcount,” the researchers said.
AI is already doing it some entry level jobs The report notes that this has traditionally been reserved for recent university graduates and relatively inexperienced workers.
“With AI systems now generating more than a billion lines of code every day, companies need to restructure their hiring pipelines and reduce the demand for novice programmers,” the researchers wrote. “These visible changes in the technology industry signal a broader reorganization of work beyond software development.”
