Over A Quarter Of Jobs At Risk From AI Automation, OECD Warns

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has raised concerns about the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on jobs, stating that over 25 per cent of positions across its member countries could be easily automated in the coming AI revolution. 

While the impact of AI on employment remains relatively limited at present, the OECD suggested that this may be due to the early stages of the revolution.

The OECD, a bloc of 38 nations consisting mainly of wealthy countries along with emerging economies such as Mexico and Estonia, published its 2023 Employment Outlook report, which indicated that jobs most susceptible to automation account for an average of 27 per cent of the labor force across OECD countries. Eastern European countries were found to be the most exposed to these risks.

The report defines jobs at the highest risk as those reliant on more than 25 out of 100 skills and abilities that AI experts consider easily automatable. This highlights the potential vulnerability of various roles to technological advancements.

A survey conducted by the OECD in the previous year among 5,300 workers from 2,000 firms across seven OECD countries found that three out of five workers feared losing their jobs to AI within the next decade. Notably, this survey was conducted before the widespread emergence of generative AI models like ChatGPT.

However, the report also highlighted that automation has already made the jobs of two-thirds of workers who are currently working with AI less dangerous or tedious. This suggests that while anxiety regarding AI's impact on employment exists, there are also perceived benefits resulting from automation.

During a news conference, OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann emphasised the importance of policy actions to manage the impact of AI on workers. He stressed that governments should support workers in adapting to these changes and ensure that the benefits of AI are maximised while potential risks are mitigated.

The OECD recommended measures such as minimum wages and collective bargaining to alleviate potential pressures on wages. Additionally, governments and regulators were urged to safeguard workers' rights to ensure that the advent of AI does not compromise their well-being.