It’s a question on the minds of many workers across industries: “Is generative artificial intelligence (genAI) going to take my job?”

Yes and no, experts say.

There’s no doubt that the technology is set to be the most disruptive in recent history. And, while on the one hand it will disrupt roles well-suited for automation, on the other it will bolster leaders and creatives and lead to entirely new job functions and career opportunities, many experts say..

“Workers shouldn't necessarily see AI as a threat, but rather as a change,” said Chris Gomes Muffat, AI expert and founder of content creation platform Promptify. “When we look back in history, new technologies have always disrupted old jobs but also created new ones. It's necessary to think forward and adapt.”

Automation, skills mismatch, cost savings key drivers

Statistics make the situation look bleak: Leaders at four in 10 companies say AI is likely to replace employees in 2024. Furthermore, more than a third (37%) reported that AI replaced workers in 2023.

IBM, Google, Microsoft and Dropbox are just a few big tech companies that have announced layoffs as they implement more AI tools; there are countless more.

Not surprisingly, this has many workers anxious about their careers. SurveyMonkey found that 42% of workers are concerned about AI’s impact on their job — and those that are already using it at work are twice as likely to feel anxiety around the technology.

But what is contributing to these layoffs?

First, there’s the automation advantage, Gomes Muffat saidt: AI-powered machines can simply do some jobs much faster, more efficiently and for a longer time than humans can. Additionally, there’s a skill mismatch; if workers don’t know how to use or manage AI systems, they may lose their jobs.

Furthermore, there are cost considerations. Machines can work around the clock without requiring benefits or breaks, which ultimately saves companies money.

“AI can operate 24/7, which can help companies serve their customers better,” said Gomes Muffat. “For example, chatbots can answer queries at any time of the day, even when human workers are off the clock.”

Why AI replacing humans is concerning

Beyond issues around humans losing their job, AI isn’t foolproof or without its faults, though.

“If AI makes a mistake, it could create big problems,” said Gomes Muffat.

For instance, an AI running a cybersecurity system missing a threat could lead to valuable data loss or other serious issues.

If a business depends too much on AI and there's a system failure or a hack, the effects could be “catastrophic,” said Gomes Muffat.

“It's like putting all your eggs in one basket: If something goes wrong with the basket, all the eggs could break,” he said.

Second are issues around fairness and transparency. If a company uses AI to determine loan eligibility or job hiring, for instance, it must be made incredibly clear how the model is making those decisions.

“If not, it could lead to unfair outcomes or discrimination without anyone realizing it,” said Gomes Muffat. Ultimately, “like any tool, the key lies in how we use it, striving for balance between efficiency and human touch.”

But AI is also a career opportunity

All this being said, AI presents great opportunities for the workforce, experts contend.

For starters, AI is creating new career opportunities: People need to design, manage and maintain systems and know how to optimally use them (such as a prompt engineer).

Gomes Muffat pointed out that the technology is also boosting demand for creative, social and technological skills that machines cannot (yet) match.

“AI can augment human strengths rather than substitute for human roles, creating plenty of opportunities alongside the disruptions,” he said.

To remain competitive and prepare for this inevitable future, workers must adapt and learn new AI-related skills, he and others emphasized.

In fact, 96% of companies hiring in 2024 say candidates will benefit from having AI skills, and 83% say AI skills will help current employees retain their jobs and even advance their careers. Executives also reported to IBM that 40% of workforces will need to “reskill as a result of implementing AI and automation over the next three years.”

Workers are already taking advantage of the technology: Nearly one-third are using AI at work, and 72% say it has made them more productive. Furthermore, 70% say they would “delegate as much work as possible to AI to lessen their workloads.”

“AI technology can help make jobs easier and even more interesting,” said Gomes Muffat. “It's like having a smart assistant who can handle boring, repetitive tasks.”

For instance, AI can sort through large amounts of data to find useful patterns or insights, a job that could have taken humans hours, days or even weeks, he said.

“Think of it like this: Instead of a scary monster, maybe AI is more like a cool, new friend who's teaching us fun, new games,” said Gomes Muffat. “Why not join the game instead of being afraid of it? It's not without its challenges, like learning the rules, but it's doable and can lead to some great opportunities.”

AI requires investment in existing workers

Organizations need to do their part, too, experts emphasize. While maintaining competitiveness in the AI age requires agility, they need to take a compassionate approach to ease short-term growing pains.

To benefit both themselves and their employees, organizations can invest in training and developing existing workforces through workshops, online courses and academic partnerships. Gomes Muffat pointed out that this not only builds and enhances their skill pool, but bolsters existing employee morale, “as they feel valued and invested in.”

As organizations place greater emphasis on training their workforce in effectively leveraging the technology, today’s “more equipped modern employee” will be able to amplify their skillset, said Joe Atkinson, chief products and technology officer for PwC U.S.

“Ultimately, genAI will not eliminate jobs,” he said, “but instead change jobs and foster a more equipped workforce ready to use the technology to a business’ advantage.”

AI promises a great future career

But workers can’t just wait for their enterprises to act. They should proactively participate in training or online courses and learn programming languages such as Python, which is widely used in AI, said Gomes Muffat.

And ultimately, “the increasing demand for AI expertise means there's an opportunity to secure a great future career,” he said. Learning the technology can bring “exciting and pioneering opportunities” and the key is to adapt and grow with it.

In the long run, Gomes Muffat said, AI and human collaboration “could lead to a more productive and innovative society. The key is in how we manage this transition and ensure that everyone benefits from it.”