Avital Balwit, the chief of staff at Anthropic, has expressed concerns shared by many within the tech industry regarding the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and its potential impact on employment.
Drawing from her experiences at one of the leading AI startups, she highlighted the existential threat posed by the technology, predicting that the next few years could mark the end of traditional job roles as AI systems become more advanced.
In a personal essay, Balwit emphasized the inevitability of job obsolescence due to AI’s swift progression.
Despite the current limitations of AI, such as its inability to perform complex coding tasks, she believes that the ultimate goal of creating a system capable of handling any task is within reach.
This vision has led her to argue that denial is a common response among knowledge workers, who might underestimate the pace and scope of AI development.
Anything That a Remote Worker Can Do, AI Will Do Better
The world of work is poised for significant changes due to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).
Investment bank Goldman Sachs has projected that AI could potentially replace around 300 million full-time jobs globally in the coming years.
This massive shift is echoed by government preparations in the U.K., where there’s concern that automation advancements could lead to increased unemployment and poverty by 2030.
In the United States, a study by McKinsey indicates that AI might require nearly 12 million workers to transition to different jobs by 2030.
Jobs most likely to be affected include administrative, manufacturing, and sales roles.
According to Avital Balwit, a significant portion of online work will be strongly impacted as AI technology continues to advance.
Remote jobs such as copywriting, tax preparation, customer service, software development, and contract law are among the first that AI is expected to outperform.
Tasks that involve information processing, analysis, and content generation are particularly vulnerable to AI replacement.
Language models, for example, are increasingly capable of reading, synthesizing, and generating content effectively, making many human-performed tasks redundant.
While some sectors will be automated more swiftly, others like regulated industries such as medicine and civil services might retain human involvement for a longer period.
However, even in these fields, the number of human workers is expected to decrease over time, with AI systems playing a supplementary role.
The impact extends beyond corporate jobs.
Those who have transitioned to trades might find more job security in the near term, but the pervasive reach of AI suggests even these sectors could eventually see transformation.
Mass Unemployment Could Lead to an Aristocratic Life for All
Elon Musk has predicted that AI will eventually make all jobs unnecessary, allowing people to work only if they desire personal fulfillment.
Balwit echoes this sentiment, envisioning a society where unemployment brings a luxurious lifestyle reminiscent of historical aristocracy.
In past centuries, the landed gentry and similar classes led lives free from conventional work.
Their days were spent enjoying leisure activities, attending social events, and bonding with family and friends.
According to Balwit, if AI evolves to meet all material needs without human labor, society might see a return to such an elevated standard of living.
Instead of traditional employment, people could experience a lifestyle focused on enrichment, hobbies, and relationships.
This would represent a significant societal shift, drawing parallels with the lifestyles portrayed in Bridgerton or Downton Abbey.
If Balwit’s vision comes to fruition, unemployment could transform into an opportunity for people to pursue passion projects and personal growth, free from the constraints of earning a livelihood. This optimistic outlook foresees an era where technological advancements provide unprecedented comfort and autonomy in daily life.
