However, this contrasts with a poll by the World Economic Forum (WEF) last year, where only a quarter of over 800 global companies expected AI to cause job losses, and half thought the technology would create new jobs. The WEF predicted most technologies, including AI, to be a net positive for jobs over the next five years. Despite this, some tech firms have already cited AI as a reason for layoffs, and Goldman Sachs economists warned that up to 300 million full-time jobs could be lost or diminished globally due to the rise of generative AI.
Key takeaways:
- A global survey of C-suite executives indicates that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will likely reduce the number of workers at thousands of companies over the next five years.
- 41% of the 2,000 executives surveyed expect to employ fewer people due to the implementation of AI technology.
- 46% of executives would redeploy employees internally if their jobs were impacted by AI, and two-thirds plan to recruit people skilled in AI.
- Goldman Sachs economists predict that as many as 300 million full-time jobs could be lost or diminished globally due to the rise of generative AI, with white-collar workers being the most at risk.