Artificial Intelligence is being implemented in all sectors, at all levels. The result is that 44% of US employees reporting that AI processes have been incorporated into their job function in 2024 and almost a third expressing concerns about the possibility of their job being reduced or replaced by AI[1].
However, the fear that AI and technology will render human work obsolete is not new, and history shows that even if technology might replace certain jobs, it mainly creates the need for new professional figures, leading to new work, economic growth and increased employment. Let’s just think about the rise of remote workers and freelancers, as well as roles like social media managers, influencers or UX designers – none of these would have been possible before the digital revolution.
While it easier to identify jobs that AI may replace and professionals all over the world may worry about how AI could change or even jeopardise their employment, as an economist, I argue that it’ much more likely to see a rise of new job roles and opportunities created by AI rather than the opposite.
This fear stems from the misconception that there is a finite amount of work to be done within an economy. However, work does not disappear, it shifts, and new circumstances and technologies introduce new problems, that create new job opportunities.
In the specific case of Artificial Intelligence, we could see a surge of requests for professionals operating AI technology, specialised in different areas of high-tech and working in resource-constrained industry, as well as new jobs created by price reduction and possible changes in consumer behaviours.
Some may – and do- argue that “this time is different”, as AI is unique in that it replaces highly skilled jobs too, rather than just basic repetitive tasks. However, AI still struggles with hallucinations, overconfidence, and domain generalization. It also lacks true contextual awareness, humour, sarcasm, empathy, and ethical reasoning making interculturally sensitive activities off-limits. Finally, AI cannot really discern truth from falsehood and only calculates possibilities.
In fact, AI, at least for the time being, requires human input to build, train, tune and maintain systems and AI-related roles such as AI ethics and safety specialists, prompt engineers, AI integration specialists, programmers, and startup founders are already in high demand. Going forward there will be also an increased need for AI maintenance workers and jobs in related areas such as data centre management and development. Additionally, as the first digital revolution created millions of jobs opportunities for software developers, web/UI/UX designers, data scientists, cyber security experts and mobile app developers, AI will drive similar employment growth in high-tech fields such as computer science, AI/ML research, bioengineering, etc.
In the long run AI can help address labour shortages by automating administrative tasks and offering faster, more accurate diagnostics in critical sectors like healthcare and education. New technological tools will for example help doctors checking in and out patients, freeing up their time for one-on-one consultations and more. In education, AI could speed up grading and lesson planning, leaving teachers more time and energies to focus on personalised education.
AI-driven efficiency will also inevitably make products and services cheaper, increasing demand and job creation in related industries and as technology shifts societal behaviours, new maybe unexpected job opportunities will be created. Just like the rise of the internet and social media platforms paved the way for careers like influencer, digital content creators and gig economy workers, AI could lead to entirely new forms of leisure, communication and consumption, leading to jobs and opportunities we can’t imagine yet.
As history, economics, cultures, tools and technology evolved, so has how humans defined their work and related roles: from hunters to farmers, conquerors, factory workers, and finally knowledge workers. Human value, however, extends beyond work and intellectual tasks, including ethics, empathy, adaptability and flexibility. And just as mechanisation, electrification and digitalisation have disrupted industries and created new jobs and roles at the same time, so will AI. Concerns about a shift in job availability and demand remain valid, but as history teaches us, economic evolution always leads to job creations.
Throughout history, humans have redefined their roles based on economic shifts. We once identified primarily as farmers, then as factory workers, and now as knowledge workers. However, human value extends beyond intellectual tasks—it includes ethics, empathy, and flexibility. Society still prefers human interaction, which is why cafes thrive despite vending machines. AI is a tool in our hands, one that, like previous technologies, will evolve work rather than eliminate it altogether so now it’s the time to embrace its potential and prepare the workforce for new opportunities.
