Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the theory and development of machine intelligence that can analyse and optimise tasks and problem-solving. Targeted online advertising, spam filters and fraud prevention programmes are all everyday examples of AI. Research into AI is expanding the technological horizon and making previously futuristic concepts possible. But will AI eventually replace humans in the workplace?
Syed Muhammad, Senior Lecturer at our Business School explores the topic.
The power of AI and quantum computing has already become a reality.
In the short-term, the incorporation of AI in the workplace primarily affects process-oriented work. This is especially true of blue-collar jobs. If AI is employed to optimise productivity in jobs which are process- or repetition-orientated, it can replace human workers. As an illustration, let us consider the “Smart city” concept. A Smart city uses sensors for the Internet of Things (IoT) to collect and process data in order to manage and monitor infrastructure and mobility across an urban area, from traffic management and utilities to crime detection and community services. IoT is able to transfer data from one machine to another without the need for human input, allowing that data to be utilised quickly and efficiently. Singapore is a Smart city, in which everything is processed with the help of AI. If you travel to the airport in Singapore, a driverless car will collect you, your luggage will be checked in by a robot and you will be screened at security by an automated programme. Jobs that were previously occupied by humans (e.g. taxi driver, welcome staff, porter and security guard) have been replaced by the power of AI. Another Smart city is Rotterdam, whose port has made extensive use of AI to optimise supply chain management and activity. Every stage of the supply chain is processed through AI, from the source and the tiers of supply to shipment, then transportation and receipt to the tiers of distribution. AI will provide all the necessary data, such as what time the delivery truck should leave, when it will arrive, where the supply will dock and who will receive it.
How will the increasing development and evolution of AI affect jobs in the future?
Will skilled professions, such as doctors and judges, be replaced by computers? The short answer is no; human neurons and emotional intelligence have a depth of complexity which AI processing lacks. However, certain effects have been predicted. Anything which is process based can in theory be supplanted by AI. In medicine, the GP’s role of diagnosing symptoms could be replaced by an AI programme. An AI legal body, regulated by the government, could replace contract lawyers in procedures such as mortgages. In finance, AI could predict payment behaviour and early recognition of credit risks. The matter becomes more complex where judgement – and therefore human intervention – is a vital part of the process. While AI can advance medical procedures, it must be done with human supervision; AI-assisted surgical equipment must be operated by a skilled surgeon. AI can assist paralegal activity, but it cannot replace the judgement of an experienced judge. A bank manager may refuse a loan on the basis of data collected by AI, but they may authorise that loan if they feel that it is a risk worth taking. While computers can analyse vast quantities of data to predict or generate results, those results are based on data they have received; emotional, instinctive or creative responses cannot be manufactured. AI can complement and augment the role of these professions, but not replace them – yet.
The evolution of AI brings with it a number of benefits and challenges which will affect all levels of skillsets.
As technology becomes more accessible and more integrated into society, digital literacy becomes ever more important. In 2018, the UN put forward a global framework for digital literacy skills as an indicator of literacy. Thus someone who is digitally illiterate will struggle with even a low-skilled job because elements of AI will have been integrated into that job. Likewise, driverless cars will require the user to be digitally literate.
This said, the socio-economic advancements that AI will make will themselves provide a wealth of new job opportunities which require human skills.
Google’s Behshad Behzadi drew attention to the flight attendant whose job could not have been imagined before the invention of the commercial aeroplane, just as AI will produce new roles which are as yet unknown (cited in Forbes, January 17 2019). The shift from mechanical jobs to AI-assisted jobs therefore brings opportunities as well as uncertainties.
One area which AI cannot yet cover is ethical decision-making.
A decision may need to be based on someone’s morals or ethics, which can vary considerably with the individual depending on their social, cultural and economic background. A computer might make the correct decision, but is it the right moral decision? A second issue is the bridge between freedom of data and personal privacy. Technological touchpoints record our digital footprints; smart devices which use geo-spatial data – whether personal or public – collect, store and process personal information even when they are switched off. However, the speed of technological advancement is surpassing the current laws and regulations governing data protection. A future debate may well see the nature of privacy being redefined.
AI has become a crucial tool in solving real-life problems and improving efficiency.
Although it complements and advances a broad range of sectors across the globe and is increasingly changing the shape of society, AI on its own is not enough to replace humans. Critical thinking, creativity and context-driven awareness remain desiderata of AI capability.
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