what do you know
- The US job market has seen 8.6 career shifts with most people leaving food service, personal sales and office support jobs, according to the McKinsey Global Institute.
- Health, STEM, transportation, warehousing, business, and legal outcomes are expected to grow under AI, while office support, customer service, sales, production, and food service businesses are most affected by AI acceleration.
- About one-fifth of U.S. workers are considered “highly exposed” to AI, based on Pew Research Center data.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the U.S. job market thanks to advanced language capabilities and automation to enhance employment options, but two recent studies have found certain workplace trends that could shape the future of work in America.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2019 to 2022, the labor market saw 8.6 career shifts with most people leaving food services, personal sales and office support for other occupations, according to a new report from the McKinsey Global Institute.
The study indicates that the attitudes that declined and flourished during the pandemic will keep this trend moving forward. The data predicts that an additional 12 million job transitions could occur in the next seven years.
Professionals in health, STEM, transportation, warehousing, business and legal are expected to grow under AI, while office support, customer service, sales, production and food service businesses are most impacted by AI acceleration, based on research.
Jobs that remain strong with a slower growth trajectory are designs, arts management, property maintenance, education, builders, community service, agriculture, and mechanics.
“It's definitely a very powerful tool,” Martha Yin, an investment banker in New York City, told NBC New York. “I'm not sure how it will impact the future, but it's definitely something to keep in mind.”
The survey found that workers are willing to change career paths, while tighter labor markets encourage companies to hire more widely. Position shifts in food and customer service accounted for 2.5 million career changes.
Fast food restaurant workers, chefs, service clerks, retail sales staff, cashiers, and hair stylists are just a few of the most common jobs that people decide to leave to pursue something else.
“No, I don't think the AI will be that powerful. Before that.” [AI] “I think it's going to take a lot longer because I think this is kind of crazy,” said Jonathan Cruz, a New Jersey police officer.
AI tools can identify data patterns, write code, design, and strategize with or without human assistance. Using this technology, about 30% of current working hours could be automated by 2030, based on the data.
The research stated that workers who earn less than $40,000 a year are 14 times more likely to change careers by the end of the decade than those with higher wages.
While the McKinsey Global Institute expects some career shifts due to AI, another recent analysis shows that American workers are optimistic about the effects of AI.
About one-fifth of American workers are considered “highly exposed” to AI, especially workers who identify as women, Asians, college graduates and high-wage workers, according to the Pew Research Center.
The top industries most exposed to AI are science and technology, finance, insurance, real estate, and public administration. The industries least exposed are administrative, administrative and food services, according to the Pew Research Center.
The Pew survey showed that workers who are most likely to see exposure to AI do not necessarily feel that their jobs are at risk. About one in four workers in professional, scientific and technical services believe that AI will help them more than hurt them, with similar polls of about 20% of workers in government, public administration and the military.
Yin and fellow investment banker Nico Molina told NBC New York that they don't feel threatened by AI in their work, especially since banking relies on building relationships with clients.
In contrast, four out of ten workers in hospitality, services and the arts are not sure about the impact of artificial intelligence on their jobs.
“I think that [AI] “It can change the future, but it can also have a negative impact on the public,” William Lee, a sneaker company owner, told News 4.
