When ChatGPT burst into mainstream at the end of 2022, it captured our collective imaginations. It took just 2 months for ChatGPT to reach 100 million users, with many of us jumping on the bandwagon to try it out, and even use it in our daily lives.
Unlike forms of automation we are familiar with, involving industrial robots or automated document processing, Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can manage more complex tasks requiring creativity and decision-making.
And, ChatGPT is just one example. Apart from its language capabilities, a trait previously thought to be uniquely human, other platforms are increasingly coming to the fore, using images, video and audio.
As such, Generative AI is expected to cause widespread disruption in the working world. According to a McKinsey Report, 30% of all hours worked today may be automated by 2030. Here are 4 types of jobs that may be most affected. It is also no co-incidence that these jobs were highly impacted during COVID-19 – and will continue to decline.
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#1 Office Support
Those working in office support are most at-risk to job losses. It is estimated that office support roles, such as clerks, secretaries and assistants, and administrative support workers, will decline by 18%.
In a McKinsey survey, nearly half of respondents said that COVID-19 accelerated their firms deployment of automation technologies, including intelligent document management and processing tools.
The study also found that women are heavily represented in office support roles, as well as the next most impacted job – customer service.
#2 Customer Service and Sales
An estimated 13% of roles in customer service and sales will be lost to Generative AI tools. Some of these roles include salespersons, cashiers, and even hairdressers.
Customer service and sales roles are perhaps the biggest losers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers in these roles were unlikely to be able to work during global lockdowns, as brick-and-mortar retail locations shut.
While there is a recovery post-COVID-19, it is likely that companies may have accelerated plans to introduce technology in such roles.
Furthermore, workers in customer service and sales will continue to be impacted by other shifts in the labour market, such as e-commerce.
#3 Food Services
2% of workers in food service can expect to lose their jobs to Generative AI by 2030. These include fast food and counter workers, waiters and waitresses, and also cooks.
In contrast to the first two job roles, workers in food services may drive the adoption of Generative AI in food services. As workers from the industry shifted to new roles due to COVID-19 lockdowns, firms have struggled to hire and retain such workers even after the re-opening. Today, there remains many more open positions.
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#4 Production Work
About 1% of production roles will be lost to Generative AI by 2030. While this modest number may seem counterintuitive, growth in the sector may bolster employment. Roles in the sector may also adjust to include higher-value roles incorporating tech and automation.
Higher value and advanced manufacturing will mean fewer roles such as assemblers, packers, machine workers. At the same time, this also means higher demand for roles such as software developers and industrial engineers.
Workers In Jobs With Lower Wages And Educational Requirements Still Most Affected
With the capabilities of Generative AI, many of us may have thought, and even read articles, that alluded to the fact that automation is coming for high-income jobs.
While this may be true, lower-wage and less educated workers will still be the first to become disrupted.
Women may also be particularly vulnerable as they are heavily represented in the job functions that will be the first to become disrupted.
This piece of information does not have to be all doom and gloom. In fact, automation and Generative AI can help reshape our workforce. Especially in Singapore, with limited manpower resources but a highly educated workforce, there can be opportunities.
Retraining and skills upgrading have been a mantra pushed by the government in recent years. Companies will also be forced to upgrade their workforce and implemented higher productivity technology-driven solutions.
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