A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggests that a staggering 11.7% of US labor could potentially be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). The researchers, who used a complex simulation to analyze data from 151 million workers, claim that current AI adoption accounts for only 2.2% of the total "labor market wage value".
In other words, while AI has already started to make an impact on certain industries and jobs, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on nearly one in every ten American workers. However, this finding does not necessarily mean that policymakers should breathe a sigh of relief. The researchers argue that the study's findings are correlational, meaning they show a relationship between AI exposure and job displacement, but do not prove causation.
In fact, the researchers suggest that policymakers need to prepare for the potential impact of AI on jobs as soon as possible. They point out that it is not necessary to wait for definitive proof of disruption before taking action, arguing that the urgency of the issue should be prioritized over methodological concerns.
The study's findings are based on a complex simulation using "Large Population Models" run on processors at the federally funded Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The researchers used this model to analyze data from 151 million workers and identified 32,000 trackable skills that could potentially be replaced by AI.
While the study's results may seem alarming, it is worth noting that human workers are unlikely to be entirely replaced by AI anytime soon. While AI can perform many tasks with high precision, humans have unique abilities that are still difficult to replicate, such as handling exceptional and non-routine situations, and providing social support.
The researchers behind the study have developed a digital twin of the US labor market using the "Project Iceberg" framework, which aims to help policymakers identify exposure hotspots, prioritize training and infrastructure investments, and test interventions before committing billions to implementation.
In other words, while AI has already started to make an impact on certain industries and jobs, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on nearly one in every ten American workers. However, this finding does not necessarily mean that policymakers should breathe a sigh of relief. The researchers argue that the study's findings are correlational, meaning they show a relationship between AI exposure and job displacement, but do not prove causation.
In fact, the researchers suggest that policymakers need to prepare for the potential impact of AI on jobs as soon as possible. They point out that it is not necessary to wait for definitive proof of disruption before taking action, arguing that the urgency of the issue should be prioritized over methodological concerns.
The study's findings are based on a complex simulation using "Large Population Models" run on processors at the federally funded Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The researchers used this model to analyze data from 151 million workers and identified 32,000 trackable skills that could potentially be replaced by AI.
While the study's results may seem alarming, it is worth noting that human workers are unlikely to be entirely replaced by AI anytime soon. While AI can perform many tasks with high precision, humans have unique abilities that are still difficult to replicate, such as handling exceptional and non-routine situations, and providing social support.
The researchers behind the study have developed a digital twin of the US labor market using the "Project Iceberg" framework, which aims to help policymakers identify exposure hotspots, prioritize training and infrastructure investments, and test interventions before committing billions to implementation.
... AI might be able to do a lot of things but humans are way more than just code 
we can solve problems that require creativity and empathy 
I mean 11.7% still sounds like a lot but think about it, if AI takes over jobs in certain industries, what new ones will get created? Maybe the focus should be on upskilling people so they can adapt to these changes 
! I mean, I get it, AI is getting more advanced and all that, but can we not think about the impact on people who are already struggling to make ends meet? 
What about those in jobs that don't require super technical skills like coding or data analysis? Are they gonna be left behind? 
And what's with this 'urgency' thing? Can't policymakers just take their time to figure out how to help people adapt to this new AI reality? 
What if we're not as prepared as policymakers think we are? We need to be looking ahead and figuring out how to upskill or reskill our workforce ASAP 
Maybe this study's findings should actually be a wake-up call for us all? 
... as a parent, it's always hard to think about the future of my kid's job prospects. But at the same time, I get what the researchers are saying - we need to start thinking about how we're gonna prep our kids for an AI-driven workforce. It's crazy to me that just 2.2% of workers are already experiencing the impact of AI 
, but 11.7% is still a big chunk of people! 
. But you know what's crazy? The skills that are gonna get replaced are pretty basic stuff - like data entry and customer service 
. I mean, sure, AI can do those things fast and cheap, but who needs to be replaced by a robot when you're working with humans all day? 
. So yeah, AI might take some jobs, but it's not gonna replace us as fast as everyone thinks... until it does 
. By the way, have you seen these charts on job displacement by industry? 
I think its cool that people r preparing for it now 
️ AI is good at doing repetitive tasks but humans are all about creativity and stuff 
... I mean, I know AI is supposed to change everything but 11.7% of jobs are gonna be replaced? That's still a lot of people 
. And what's with this "urgency" thing? Can't they see we just want to know what's gonna happen to us? 
Still, I guess it's good that they're trying to help, even if their methods are a bit sketchy 
️ yet. 11.7% of jobs might be at risk, but that's still a pretty small percentage compared to the whole workforce! Let's focus on upskilling and reskilling instead of freaking out 
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. It's not going to be easy, but I think we can do it if we work together 
. But for real, it's interesting that humans still got some tricks up their sleeves. I mean, can AI handle a surprise party or a spontaneous road trip? 
Doubt it! The researchers are right though, we gotta be ready for the changes, even if they're not super imminent. Time to level up our skills and get that training done 
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I mean, sure, it's cool that 32,000 skills could be replaced by AI, but let's be real, most of us are way more than just one skill 
Plus, human workers bring a whole different level of creativity and problem-solving to the table. And have you seen those digital twins they're working on? That sounds like some serious tech wizardry 
