TLDR: A new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) indicates that artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are poised to complement existing jobs by automating specific tasks, rather than leading to widespread job destruction. The study highlights that clerical work faces the highest exposure to AI’s automating effects, while also noting potential disparities in impact between genders and across different economic development levels globally. The ILO emphasizes the need for proactive policies to ensure a fair and orderly transition in the workforce.
A recent report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) suggests that AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are more likely to complement existing jobs by automating certain tasks rather than replacing them entirely. This finding was highlighted in a new study published this week, which provides a global analysis of the potential exposure of occupations and tasks to generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for job quantity and quality.
The study, authored by three social scientists at the UN agency, posits that the primary impact of this new technology will be the augmentation of work. This means AI will automate some tasks within an occupation, thereby freeing up time for other duties, as opposed to completely automating entire job roles. ChatGPT, a Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer, has been a significant catalyst for worldwide discussions regarding the benefits and drawbacks of AI since its launch last November. The chatbot’s ability to respond to prompts and generate text is being utilized by companies and the general public for various purposes, including managing workflows, quickly responding to queries, writing code, composing essays, planning vacations, and creating personalized content for social media.
The ILO report identified clerical work as the job category with the highest exposure to generative AI technology. In contrast, other occupational groups, such as managers, professionals, and technicians, were found to have only a small share of tasks at risk of redundancy. The study also revealed notable differences in the effects on countries at varying levels of development, which are linked to current economic structures and existing technological gaps. In richer countries, approximately 5.5 percent of total employment is potentially exposed to the automating effects of Generative AI, whereas in low-income countries, this risk is significantly lower, at around 0.4 percent.
Despite these disparities, the authors noted that the potential for augmentation is nearly equal across all countries. This suggests that with the implementation of appropriate policies, Generative AI could offer substantial benefits for developing nations. However, the report also highlighted that the potential effects are likely to differ significantly between men and women. More than twice the share of female employment is potentially affected by automation, primarily due to women’s over-representation in clerical work, particularly in high and middle-income countries. Furthermore, given that clerical jobs have historically been a crucial source of employment for women as economies develop, the widespread adoption of Generative AI could mean that certain clerical positions may never emerge in lower-income countries.
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In conclusion, the report emphasized that the socioeconomic impacts of Generative AI will largely depend on how it is adopted and rolled out. The authors stressed that the main value of such studies lies not in precise estimates but in understanding the possible direction of change. They underscored the necessity of proactively designing policies that can support orderly, fair, and consultative transitions, rather than merely reacting to technological shifts. Key elements for this transition include incorporating workers’ opinions, providing skills training, and ensuring adequate social protection. The report concluded by stating that while the analysis outlines potential implications for different occupational categories, the outcomes of this technological transition are not predetermined; human decisions and guidance are essential in steering this process.
