In November 2022, OpenAI introduced the world to ChatGPT and triggered an AI revolution of sorts. Gradually, more and more companies came up with their own AI tools and while some felt that these tools would help humans with their jobs, others were concerned about its negative effects. Many people believed that AI would replace them at their jobs and tech experts, including Elon Musk, also warned of the emerging tech's dark side.

AI replacing human jobs?

However, a recent study by United Nations' International Labour Organization (ILO) says that while AI will change the way we work, it won't be replacing people at their jobs.

An AFP report states that according to the study, most jobs and industries will only 'partially be exposed to automation'.

The ILO said that most companies are "more likely to be complemented rather than substituted by the latest wave of Generative AI, such as ChatGPT."

"Therefore, the greatest impact of this technology is likely to not be job destruction but rather the potential changes to the quality of jobs, notably work intensity and autonomy," the study says.

The study also points out that the effects of the emerging technology will differ across professions and regions. It adds that women are more likely to see their jobs affected when compared to men.

Sam Altman on AI replacing jobs

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, in an interview with The Atlantic last month, said that AI's impact on humanity will not be all positive. He told the publication that a lot of people who are working on AI 'pretend' that it is only going to be for the good of humans, act like a supplement for them, and won't replace anyone at their jobs. However, that is not the case.

"Jobs are definitely going to go away, full stop," Altman said.

Apart from this, he also revealed that OpenAI could have created something even more powerful than ChatGPT but the public would not have been ready for such an advancement.

"We could have gone off and just built this in our building here for five more years and we would have had something jaw-dropping," he said and added that the public would not have been prepared for the 'shock' that followed, and the outcome is quite 'unpleasant' to imagine.

The Atlantic report further states that as per Altman, people need time to come to terms with the idea that a powerful new intelligence might coexist with humans in future and that ChatGPT was a 'way of serving notice'.

LeackStat 2023