Feature
AI will disrupt jobs. The question is, how and to what extent?
A new report by the Pew Research Center titled “Which U.S. Workers Are More Exposed to AI on Their Jobs?" shows the connection between worker exposure to artificial intelligence and various workplace-related measures such as demographics, wages, industry, job, skills, sentiment and product development.
The 49-page report released in July is based on data from several sources: work requirements and job skills data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network; occupation, employment and wage data from the “Current Population Survey” by the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics; and a Pew survey of over 11,000 U.S. adults in December 2022.
Below are seven key takeaways from the report, along with reactions from HR executives on what they may mean for you.
1. Demographics Show Groups Most Exposed to AI
According to the report, worker exposure to AI varies based on a range of demographic categories:
- More women (21%) than men (17%) are in jobs most exposed to AI.
- Asian workers (24%) are in the largest share of jobs most exposed to AI, followed by white workers (20%), other workers (18%), American Indian or Pacific Islander workers (16%), Black workers (15%) and Hispanic workers (13%).
- A greater proportion of workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher are in jobs most exposed to AI (27%), compared to the exposure of those without a high school diploma (3%).
- Workers ages 16-24 are in the fewest jobs most exposed to AI (12%). Workers across other generations, from ages 25-65+, are in roughly the same level of jobs most exposed to AI (~20%).
Pavel Bahu, global HR head at the travel company Trevolution Group, said the fact that women and Asian workers are among the most exposed to AI, “could be a reflection of the roles they predominantly occupy in the workforce, many of which are now intertwined with AI tools," he said.
Those demographic findings indicate that generative AI is likely to "most impact white-collar jobs, which have greater representation among higher wage workers, women, Asians, degreed workers and those with higher education levels," said Phil Siegel, founder of the nonprofit Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation (CAPTRS), which uses AI for its test scenarios.
However, he said, this depends on what is included in the definition of AI. “It may not be true if all AI and machine learning is included,” he said, noting robotics and driverless vehicles as example of what could be considered. “But generative AI is most likely to replace language-oriented jobs."
Walter Sabrin, chief talent officer at Vensure Employer Services, said in his experience, the demographic that is most exposed to AI is simply the younger generation. "They seem to be infatuated with it at this point," Sabrin said. "Some of the more experienced employees are a little resistant to it, especially due to them seeing the cybersecurity and content security risks associated with it."
2. Workers Who Earn More Are Most Exposed to AI
Workers in jobs most exposed to AI earn more than those least exposed to AI, at an average of $33 an hour, compared to $20, the report found. This is true for each demographic category measured in the report.
Bahu said the key takeaway for HR professionals in this report should be this correlation between AI exposure and earnings. "This isn't just about the technology," he said. "It's about the value that comes with understanding and harnessing it."
Trevor Bogan, regional director of the Americas at the Top Employer Institute, said these findings suggest that AI is used more in jobs requiring a higher digital skill level, such as computer programming, engineering and data analysis, compared to jobs such as service and production jobs, which are less likely to use AI technology.
Related Article: AI Is Not Coming for Jobs Just Yet
3. Professional Services Is the Sector Most Exposed to AI
Workers in service-related industries are either the most exposed to AI or the least exposed to AI, depending on the type of service they offer.
The three industries with the most exposure to AI by number of workers are:
- Professional, scientific and technical services (52%).
- Finance, insurance and real estate (37%).
- Public administration (36%).
In contrast, the three industries with the least exposure to AI by number of workers are:
- “Other” services (48%).
- Managerial and administrative services (45%).
- Accommodation and food services (43%).
Nick Shah, founder and president of the IT consulting firm Peterson Technology Partners, said he’s not surprised because the IT industry, especially within the service segment, routinely uses automation, including AI, to improve the quality of services and delivery.
"While the use of automation in other industries is slowly rising — the use of robotics in manufacturing, for example — the biggest breakthrough in recent years, including with generative AI, has been in digital service delivery," Shah said.
Sabrin said that given the benefits AI brings to complex, high-skill roles, “it is likely that jobs closely associated with AI will see an increased share in the economy."
Related Article: Artificial Intelligence Is Poised to Take More Than Unskilled Jobs
4. Sales Rep and Administrative Assistant Roles at Risk
The job function in a company — from administration and tech to law and sales — also has an effect on exposure to AI. And this, in turn, varies by gender represented. Among those jobs with the highest numbers of people most exposed to AI:
For women:
- Secretaries and administrative assistants (except legal, medical and executive).
- Office clerks (general).
- Receptionists and information clerks.
- Accountants and auditors.
- Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks.
For men:
- Sales representatives (wholesale and manufacturing).
- Lawyers.
- Computer occupations (all other).
- Couriers and messengers.
- Accountants and auditors.
Bahu said the set of jobs most exposed to AI underscores the “democratizing” nature of AI. "It's not just for tech whizzes or data scientists," he said. "With the right training, anyone, from lawyers to accountants, can leverage AI to enhance their productivity."
Sabrin believes AI will have a "striking effect on many service and white-collar jobs that have been relatively safe from automation," with the most routine, service-oriented roles being "phased out by the increased presence of AI."
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Amy Casciotti, VP of HR at the image and video software company TechSmith, expects knowledge workers, those who work with repetitive information and customer-facing roles will have an "increasing amount of AI built right into the systems they use, whether they are aware of it or not."
5. Analytical Skills Are Key in Jobs Highly Exposed to AI
According to the report, analytical skills — such as science, mathematics and programming — are more important in jobs that have high exposure to AI. In contrast, mechanical skills — such as installation and repair — are more important to jobs with low exposure to AI.
Sabra Sciolaro, chief people officer at the internal communications company Firstup, said HR leaders should work across their organizations to identify the competencies needed to work with generative AI.
"When possible, companies should provide training programs and resources to help employees develop the necessary skills to collaborate with AI systems, interpret their outputs and utilize them for better decision-making," Sciolaro said.
And don’t exclude anyone just because the job may not be highly impacted by AI. Programs such as job training, companies and policymakers “must ensure that AI's benefits are shared across all workers, regardless of skill level," Bogan said. That’s because workers in low-skill jobs are not necessarily immune from the impact of AI, including automation. "It could lead to job displacement, as fewer workers are needed to complete these tasks," he said.
Related Article: Why Companies Are Turning to Skills-Based Hiring
6. Workers Most Exposed to AI Think It Will Help Them
Employees in several industries most exposed to AI — such as IT, professional services and government — think it will personally “help more than hurt” over the next 20 years.
In contrast, workers in several industries least exposed to AI — such as healthcare, retail and education — think it will personally "hurt more than help" over the next 20 years.
Sciolaro said HR leaders have the opportunity to champion reskilling initiatives to transition employees into roles that involve higher-order thinking, creativity and problem solving. She believes it is critical that HR teams develop change management strategies that address employee concerns and communicate AI's purpose, benefits and potential impact on roles — as well as highlight learning and growth opportunities.
Casciotti noted that workers want to be as productive and efficient as possible, and AI "unlocks a new gear to achieve this," leaving room for more professional development.
The workers most exposed to AI realize, Shah said, that automation is a practical tool that will “change the way we work and make us more efficient,” he said. “But not one that can operate independently of human judgment.”
7. Major Employers Are Using AI in Product Development
The report also shows the pace of adoption of AI in jobs across the US, and the technologies most commonly used to develop a product or service:
- Touchscreens/kiosks for customer interface (27%).
- Robotics (20%).
- Machine learning (ML) (16%).
- RFID inventory system (16%).
- Voice recognition software (15%).
- Machine vision software (13%).
- Natural language processing (NLP) (11%).
- Augmented reality (AR) (7%).
- Automated guided vehicle systems (7%).
As the technology continues to evolve and play an important role, Sciolaro said it’s critical that when recruiting, companies prioritize identifying candidates and building teams that embrace and foster a culture of learning. “We are just beginning to unlock the potential of AI, and new advancements will continue to occur frequently,” Sciolaro said.
“Promoting a learning culture will enable employees to stay updated on the latest AI technologies and trends and openly embrace opportunities to leverage AI — in balance with human intelligence and interaction — to lead to effective and successful outcomes," she said.
