Artificial intelligence has made significant strides in recent years, but we are still in the early stages of its development. It is permeating every sector, constantly uncovering new possibilities (Heleskoski 2023).

Many individuals fear that artificial intelligence will jeopardize their livelihoods, and within the software development community, the concern of job loss has become a daily topic of discussion (Kay 2023).

This situation may seem ironic considering that coding was once considered a basic skill that everyone should possess. Simultaneously, there were a lot of worries about automation and artificial intelligence rendering jobs obsolete, making machine fitters, nurses, and plumbers redundant.

Who could have predicted that it would be highly educated office workers such as general assistants, engineers, illustrators, software developers, investment advisors, and journalists who would face the imminent threat of artificial intelligence?

The immensely popular ChatGPT has demonstrated that attempting to compete with artificial intelligence in certain routine tasks is not worth the effort.

Embracing New Expertise with Courage

In 1958, German philosopher Hannah Arendt wrote about a significant event that would both threaten humanity and liberate it from its oldest and most natural burden: the burden of work and necessity (Arendt 1998). Her prediction is now partially coming true.

Contrary to Arendt’s speculation, it is not the manual laborers who are particularly at risk but rather those in low-level knowledge work positions involving tasks such as proofreading, summarizing texts, doing basic coding, and transcribing speeches.

Artificial intelligence will inevitably raise the skill requirements for entry-level workers. Surpassing its capabilities will demand higher skills than ever before, and the responsibility of developing those skills will largely fall on individuals and educational institutions.

Artificial Intelligence as a Support for Knowledge Work

At present, it is premature to suggest that artificial intelligence will completely replace human labor in knowledge work. A more accurate depiction is that it propels knowledge work forward and provides support as a form of augmented intelligence, simplifying tasks and enabling knowledge workers to devote more time to higher-level thinking (Kärnä et al., 2023).

Those who are willing to adapt and integrate artificial intelligence into their work are best positioned for success. By gaining as much knowledge as possible and deepening their understanding of how and where artificial intelligence can be utilized to bring added value to organizations and their goals, they can thrive in the changing landscape.

Artificial intelligence primarily threatens jobs that involve repetitive and easily automatable tasks. Conversely, roles requiring creativity, active participation, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence are more difficult to automate.

By proactively embracing the potential of artificial intelligence and evolving our skills in parallel, we ensure that our services will be needed and that we will be indispensable in the future.

References

Arendt, H. 1998. The Human Condition. Second edition. The University of Chicago Press. Chicago.

Heleskoski, J. 2023. Koodarit paniikissa: viekö uusi tekniikka työt? Tietoviikko. Alma Talent.

Kay, G. 2023. Software engineers are panicking about being replaced by AI. Business Insider.

Kärnä, E., Humala, I., Lahtinen, A. & Asikainen, M. 2023. Tekoälyn mahdollisuudet käyttöön työyhteisössä. E-työkirja tietotyön asiantuntijoille. Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. Helsinki.