Artificial intelligence will gradually but consistently eliminate jobs. At first, this will affect professions and industries that do not require high qualifications. Over the years, AI will also take on more complex jobs that require precision and even creativity.
Companies are already laying off workers
This is already happening in some places. For example, Duolingo, an international educational platform for learning foreign languages, has already laid off every tenth employee employed in the B2B system, replacing them with artificial intelligence, and this is probably not the end. As AI tools are improved, translators, announcers, photographers, and even press reporters, copywriters, cartoonists, etc. will lose their jobs. Google, which is aggressively investing in the development of AI tools, is already announcing that it will lay off as many as 30,000 employees in the next few years. For the same reason – and perhaps even faster – companies implementing high technologies will lay off. SAP, a globally operating IT group, intends to get rid of eight thousand of its employees.
Certainly, in both cases, the dismissed employees will be able to count on a decent severance package and farewell thanks from the management for their “high commitment and many years of work”. Or something like that – as they say when saying goodbye in the corporation.
And there will come a time when almost everyone will be laid off.
They know someone who was fired by AI
Poland will certainly not be left behind when it comes to implementing AI tools. Wherever it can be done and wherever it will be profitable. The latest “Polish Labor Market Barometer” by Personnel Service, quoted by PulsHR.pl, shows that 12% of people know someone who lost their job due to AI in the last year. They lost it as a result of implementing software and tools that automate work. This is especially indicated by younger people – 19% of people in the age group 18-24.
In turn, the study “New Recruitment Laws”, conducted by ARC Rynek i Opinia on behalf of Pracuj.pl, shows that 22% of Poles are already afraid of the growing importance of artificial intelligence and automation in their positions, while 36% express concerns that its popularization will significantly shrink the labor market. And only one in four respondents wants to believe that artificial intelligence will free up time for more ambitious tasks. It is of course true that AI implemented in companies will free up some employees, allowing them to move to new jobs, perhaps even more ambitious ones. But how many will get such a chance? Certainly, firing from one job to make way for a cheaper AI “employee” and hiring for other tasks will not take place in 1:1 proportions.
What will happen to those who will drop out of this technological race altogether? There may be, and certainly will be, millions of them. It is worth thinking about this today.