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For many, it feels like ChatGPT came out of nowhere, only to completely shift day-to-day living. OpenAI launched its language model-based chatbot back on November 30, 2022, and in the short amount of time it’s been out, it’s had a BIG impact, and competitors have since come onto the scene with their respective offerings.

But, what does it all mean? AI experts are warning of danger ahead, and already, companies like IBM and BT have signalled that they will be making AI-related job cuts.

In all the hubbub, it can be difficult to know where you stand, so in this week’s article, we’ll explore the following:

• The potential scale of impact on jobs
• How people from the world of work are reacting
• How is the government dealing with the potential threat

The scale of the issue and impact

When listening to the experts, it seems as though the advancement of AI is unavoidable and inescapable, and it will undoubtedly have a presence in our lives. But how will it impact the world of work?

According to a report by investment bank Goldman Sachs early this year, AI could potentially replace a quarter of work tasks in the US and Europe – however, it will impact sectors differently.

While 46% of tasks in administration and 44% in legal professions could be replaced by automation, for construction, the figure stands at 6%.

It’s also worth noting that this displacement will also likely be experienced differently for men and women, with women dominating in clerical work. Indeed, research shows that more than twice the share of female employment could be affected.

High-income economies are also more likely to be affected, at a rate of 5.5 per cent, versus 0.4 per cent in low-income economies. That said, experts say that many places aren’t yet prepared for the disruption ahead. Some figures show that over 50 million Chinese workers will require retraining, while in the US, this figure stands at 11.5 million.

It’s also important to note that forecasts vary widely, too, and while there have been a number of potentially catastrophic forecasts, including from Cred CEO Kunal Shah, who recently warned that 90% of people could lose their jobs in the next ten years, the likes of Forrester predict that generative AI will “influence 4.5 times more jobs than it replaces.”

Responses from the world of work

But how do those in the workforce feel about AI? It’s really quite mixed.

According to some research, 36% feel that AI will make them feel more stressed, while 37% are concerned it will mean their work is less accurate. Meanwhile, 38% shared data privacy concerns.

Elsewhere, Censuswide, on behalf of Visier, found that those already using AI in the workplace saved around 1.55 hours a day – or 390 hours a year and 40 per cent think it will enhance their work-life balance.

Further to this, around 31 per cent believe it can help close the skills gap in the UK. This is huge, considering that 73% continue to report skills gaps, only 11% of UK workers have digital skills and 54% of organisations don’t have specific skills initiatives in place for specific talent pools. 67%, meanwhile, believe that developing AI skills will be important for their future career growth.

Speaking about this, Ben Harris, Director UK MD at Visier, said: “The workplace has been disrupted by rapid innovation and everyone has a role to play in its smooth adoption. With skills gaps widening across the UK, AI can alleviate a wide range of pain points. But, with opportunity comes responsibility.”

In order to survive and thrive in the new world of AI, some have suggested that workers learn how to code, become more data literate, and hone in skills that are AI-proof, such as communication, collaboration and adaptability skills. A central focus for people in this new world of work will also be becoming lifelong learners.

How is the government dealing with the potential threat?

Considering opinions are so divided, and the technology will reshape the world we live in so dramatically, you might be wondering what the government plans- on doing to regulate it and keep things in check. There’s also a lot of support for regulation, with almost 60% of British people wanting regulation to be introduced for AI in the workplace, according to Prospect Trade Union.

The government set out the need to legislate in an AI white paper earlier this year, but has been urged to speed things up due to how quickly AI is evolving.

Recently, the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee chair and Conservative MP Greg Clark said: “If there isn’t legislation passed in this session, then assuming the election is in late 2024, the earliest that new legislation can reach the statute book is mid to late 2025.”

Clark pointed out that, by then, two years will have passed, by which time, AI will have continued to be deployed and developed without the “statutory means to govern it.”

“And other jurisdictions such as the EU or the US will be proceeding themselves, and there is a danger that what has become embedded in Europe and in the US could become the default means of regulation, even if we had a better model in mind. That’s another reason for getting on with it.”

Elsewhere, the TUC recently launched an AI taskforce, bringing together leading specialists in law, technology, politics, HR and the voluntary sector for legal protections for both employers and workers. It reportedly aims to publish an expert-drafted AI and Employment Bill early in 2024 and will also lobby to have it incorporated into UK law.

The taskforce says that the UK is “way behind the curve” on the regulation of AI, and outlines that AI capabilities, left unchecked, could result in “greater discrimination, unfairness and exploitation at work across the economy.”

It appears there’s still a long way to go when it comes to implementing regulation around AI and while the UK plans to hold an AI Safety Summit in November, that’s still quite some way off.