"For decades now, we have been told that artificial intelligence systems will soon replace human workers. Sixty years ago, for example, Herbert Simon, who received a Nobel Prize in economics and a Turing Award in computing, predicted that "machines will be capable, within 20 years, of doing any work a man can do." More recently, we have Daniel Susskind's 2020 award-winning book with the title that says it all: A World Without Work."
"Are these bleak predictions finally coming true? ChatGPT turns 3 years old this month, and many think large language models will finally deliver on the promise of AI replacing human workers. LLMs can be used to write emails and reports, summarize documents, and otherwise do many of the tasks that managers are supposed to do. Other forms of generative AI can create images and videos for advertising or code for software."
"From Amazon to General Motors to Booz Allen Hamilton, layoffs are being announced and blamed on AI. Amazon said it would cut 14,000 corporate jobs. United Parcel Service (UPS) said it had reduced its management workforce by about 14,000 positions over the past 22 months. And Target said it would cut 1,800 corporate roles. Some academic economists have also chimed in: The St. Louis Federal Reserve found a (weak) correlation between theoretical AI exposure and actual AI adoption in 12 occupational categories."
Predictions that artificial intelligence will replace human workers trace back decades, with earlier forecasts claiming machines could perform any human task within twenty years. Large language models can draft emails and reports, summarize documents, and perform many managerial tasks, while other generative systems produce images, videos, and software code. Major firms including Amazon, UPS, and Target have announced corporate layoffs and cited AI. Economic analysis found only a weak correlation between theoretical AI exposure and actual adoption across occupations. Empirical studies report widespread pilot failures, minimal productivity improvements, and frequent low-quality AI outputs that require hours to correct and erode trust.
Read at Fast Company
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