Who Is Affected

AI will impact young workers, recent college graduates, and workers without a college degree because entry-level jobs are being automated. As traditional pathways to career growth are being displaced by AI, these types of workers will face increased competition and become more vulnerable to displacement.

As discussed in the research report Job Loss, Displacement, and AI: Anticipating and Preventing Their Costs, Holzer explains that AI may lead to widespread worker displacement across multiple sectors, such as, retail, media, and financial services.

In addition, in the Journal of International Affairs, Dafoe explains in his article Global Politics and the Governance of Artificial Intelligence, how AI not only has the potential to affect workers in the job market, but also to reshape the economy and society.

Guiding Question:
How can students, workers, and companies adapt to an AI workforce where entry-level jobs are being automated, and AI-related skills are becoming more important?

Thesis:
AI is transforming the U.S. workforce by automating entry-level jobs, displacing knowledge workers, changing the hiring process, and increasing the demand for AI-related skills.

Muckraking Project

The Impacts Of AI On The U.S. Workforce

Historical Timeline

AI’s impact on the workforce is part of a long history of technological revolutions that have displaced groups of workers.

(1870s - 1914) - Second Industrial Revolution

The Second Industrial Revolution introduced the mass production of steel through machinery, which displaced workers who built these goods. In addition, many farmers were also displaced by machinery.

(1970s - 1980s) - Computer Revolution

The Computer Revolution introduced digital technology, which displaced many workers, such as bookkeepers, telephone operators, and assembly line workers. At this time, there was also a demand for employees with analytical/cognitive skills.

(2000s- Present) - Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI may be more disruptive than these previous technological revolutions because AI can perform physical/cognitive tasks and affect many sectors of the economy simultaneously.

As discussed on The Weekly Show, Jon Stewart, Daron Acemoglu, and David Autor explain that Al's timeline and long-term effects are still uncertain, but there are early signs of disruption that are already visible.