All articles tagged with #job impact
Atlanta's potential loss of Norfolk Southern's headquarters, following a possible merger with Union Pacific, raises concerns about job security and community impact, especially for employees who recently relocated to Atlanta. The merger could lead to significant downsizing or relocation of the company's operations and executive staff, threatening the economic and social benefits Atlanta gained from hosting the headquarters.
AI is transforming India's call center industry by improving communication and creating new jobs in AI-related fields, while also raising concerns about job displacement and the need for re-skilling workers to adapt to automation.
A study published in Neurology suggests that jobs requiring more cognitive stimulation may reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment later in life. Research on 7,000 individuals found that cognitive demands at work during different life stages were linked to better memory and thinking in old age. Jobs with higher cognitive demands, such as teaching, were associated with reduced risk, while those with lower demands, like custodial or mail carrier roles, had a greater risk. However, individual variation and further research are noted, and other studies have identified specific occupations that may help maintain healthy brain function, while also highlighting jobs that may put individuals at higher risk for dementia.
Big Tech companies, including Google and Microsoft, are forming a group led by Cisco to study how artificial intelligence might affect technology jobs, with unions like AFL-CIO and CWA as advisors. The rise of generative AI has raised concerns about job displacement, with some workers in fields like writing and coding already experiencing job loss. The group aims to produce a report with actionable insights for business leaders and workers, focusing on 56 technology jobs, but details on the specific jobs are yet to be determined. While tech executives often downplay job loss concerns, they emphasize the potential for AI to make existing workers more efficient.
CEO of talent company Randstad, Sander van't Noordende, believes that the integration of AI into jobs could actually lead to increased salaries for employees, as it allows them to focus on more high-value tasks. While AI may affect jobs, it is unlikely to fully replace human employees, and could potentially create new job opportunities. However, the full impact of AI on the job market may take time to materialize, as only a small fraction of companies are currently using the technology at scale.
Microsoft's president and vice-chairman, Brad Smith, has emphasized the need for human control over artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent its weaponization. Smith stated that AI has the potential to become both a tool and a weapon, and it is crucial to ensure that humans can slow down or turn off AI systems. He called for new laws and regulations to establish safety breaks, similar to circuit breakers in electricity or emergency brakes on school buses. Smith also highlighted that AI should be seen as a tool that supplements human work rather than replacing jobs.
Most Americans have not used ChatGPT, and only a small percentage believe that chatbots will have a major impact on their jobs. A recent survey by Pew Research Center found that 24% of Americans who have heard of ChatGPT have used it, with younger and college-educated adults being more likely to have used it. The survey also revealed that chatbots are primarily used for entertainment and learning, and there has been an increase in their use for work tasks. While Americans believe that chatbots will have a major impact on professions such as software engineers and graphic designers, they are less likely to think it will affect their own jobs. Additionally, most employed Americans do not believe that chatbots would be very helpful for their work.