Introduction to AI and the Future of Work

Introduction

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, machines have automated many manual jobs that mainly required the exploitation of physical abilities such as milling and manufacturing. Meanwhile, more people have been working in the service industries that require the use of cognitive skills that are arguably only possessed by humans (e.g. learning, analysing and communicating).

However, artificial intelligence (AI) is not like other machines or algorithms. It is a combination between neuroscience and technology that allows machines to learn by themselves. By studying the Big Data and its patterns, potentially AI can outperform humans in cognitive activities and could even understand people’s needs. To many commentators, the development of AI will take over jobs in both manufacturing and service sectors in the future, making our jobs ungainful and potentially causing mass unemployment in society.

Some believe the future of work will be characterized by human-AI cooperation. Workers will need higher technology literacy to supervise machines. The use of technology can improve productivity, liberating workers from paid work to spend more time with their family, for voluntary work, or pursuing their own hobbies.

Technology is never deterministic and there is no guarantee that the future of work will be either prosperous or catastrophic. Governments, academics and developers need to be prepared for the restructuring of labour markets by understanding not only the economic aspect of AI, but its sociological, cultural and ethical implications.

Objectives

• To understand what makes artificial intelligence (AI) different from other machinery developments in history

• To be introduced to some of the academic debates related to artificial intelligence and the future of work