Global conversations regarding the future of jobs have shifted focus to Artificial Intelligence (AI) at their heart. A strong theme from information gathered at various summits with international political and business leaders, as well as workforce experts, indicates that AI will not merely replace jobs but will alter them. To India, the addition of many young workers has brought with it unknown potential, but it will also present challenges as a result of these changes.
AI as a Force for Job Evolution
A common theme amongst leaders worldwide is to approach AI as a catalyst for job change versus a job threat. Because of AI systems doing repetitive work and performing many of the same tasks on a daily basis as humans do now, people will be able to perform many more complex, creative, and interpersonal jobs, which represents perhaps the least advanced area of AI currently. Enthusiasts do not believe that jobs will be gained or lost; however, they believe that there will be a transition to jobs that focus on human interaction, creative problem solving, strategic thought, and AI system management.
Industry leaders discussed how some traditional jobs will be reduced; there are a large number of new jobs being created. Some examples include: AI ethics officer, data analyst for AI-based insights, designer of human/AI collaboration, AI trainer, etc. All of these roles are examples of job types that did not exist 10 years ago and represent a new level of opportunities. Each of these jobs will require a unique combination of knowledge and skills within both the field of expertise and technology, which is becoming an increasingly valuable skill set in the workplace.
Reskilling: The Core Workforce Agenda
Experts agree that the future of work will depend on the workers who continuously learn and adapt throughout their working lives. AI will be rapidly evolving, and to remain employable, one must have the skills necessary to utilize AI and automated processes to help enhance productivity, make better decisions, and create new products or services — all of which are essential to every employee’s success.
India’s Strategic Advantages and Challenges
The global workforce of Artificial Intelligence looks to be uniquely positioned within India. The nation has a young population (one of the youngest), millions of talent in STEM practices, and a fast-growing digital ecosystem; all this provides India with the base components necessary for building AI driven to drive economic growth. Summit leaders indicated that India has a huge technical talent base and that these talents can help India in utilizing existing AI technologies as well as developing new AI technologies to serve different sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, finance, and logistics.
There is also a caveat to this opportunity. A large portion of the labor force works within the informal economy and has very little access to training and digital infrastructure. If nothing is done to bridge this gap, there will be growing inequality that will substantially affect large groups across the country. Global leaders indicate that equitable access to education, digital literacy, and locally responsive solutions to the issues facing rural and semi-urban communities is essential to AI adoption.
Policy and Education for the Future Workforce
The discussions about summits highlighted how important it is to have policies in place to help determine how AI will impact our jobs. Governments need to create an environment that supports both innovation and job security. Many policies could be implemented to assist in transitioning workers, as well as providing reskilling through subsidized training programs; these are all ways for businesses to invest in the development of their workforce.
Balancing Innovation with Inclusivity
Though AI holds great potential for transformation, leaders expressed concern that all people share in the benefits of AI — especially those who are low-income or otherwise marginalized. For this reason, creating opportunities for everyone to receive education about AI, access to affordable technology infrastructure, and access to initiatives that promote knowledge about AI are essential to preventing widening gaps between different categories of income earners.
Other aspects of promoting inclusivity include creating and deploying AI systems ethically. Leaders at the summit stressed that AI should be developed with an understanding of various cultural backgrounds and the development of human values. Therefore, AI systems should be designed so that the automated decisions made by those systems are transparent, fair, and accountable.
(This article is written by Manish Mohta, Founder, Learning Spiral)
