According to Satya Nadella, group chief executive of Microsoft, the world has not experienced a new growth driver or emerging engine for some time due to prolonged stagnation. There is a pressing need for a new growth engine to unlock potential, with artificial intelligence (AI) emerging as the most powerful technology since the start of the internet era, capable of driving global productivity growth.
“Last year was a period of experimentation, and this year we anticipate real-world usage, impacting job roles that will undergo reshaping,” Mr Nadella said. “Some job descriptions may transition to AI, while others may merge with existing AI-driven positions, giving rise to entirely new roles or professions.”
Tsinghua University emphasised the necessity for universities to prepare for the future of education by focusing on human capital, as 44% of skills may become obsolete within five years.
This necessitates the development of future skill sets or roles in the job market, including discussions about the future of employment, in which green jobs and AI will increasingly play pivotal roles.
Jobs may be segmented into tasks, some of which can be automated by AI, leading to task regrouping or new positions, such as marketing and business associate (merged from separate marketing associate and business associate positions).
“This year, organisational job descriptions will undergo significant changes, giving rise to new professions such as AI responsibility partners responsible for overseeing regulation, protection and ethical AI usage within organisations, as well as green jobs focused on monitoring negative environmental impacts resulting from transitions, among others,” said Mr Nadella.
AI could assume a larger role in employment, augmenting human capabilities, helping individuals to become more proficient as they develop new abilities, and affording them more free time because of increased productivity.
AI could gradually replace certain tasks in job descriptions, leading to the emergence of new professions and necessitating the acquisition of new skill sets by those impacted by automation.
As many business leaders have emphasised, human capital is pivotal, as it will precipitate significant changes in the job supply chain, leading to reshuffles, unbundling and rebundling by AI, thereby impacting the future of employment.
This shift will predominantly affect white-collar workers as AI begins to replace cognitive tasks traditionally performed by humans.
There will be a surge in digital roles such as digital moderators and digital doctors.