The International Labour Organization (ILO) has released a new report that suggests artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT are more likely to complement jobs rather than replace them. The study, conducted by three social scientists at the UN agency, offers a global analysis of the potential impact of generative AI on various occupations and tasks.
ChatGPT, a generative pre-trained transformer, has sparked discussions worldwide since its launch in November. This AI-powered chatbot responds to prompts and generates text, finding applications in diverse areas such as workflow management, quick query responses, coding, essay composition, vacation planning, and social media content creation.
According to the ILO report, clerical work faces the highest exposure to this technology, while in categories like management, professions, and technical roles, only a small fraction of tasks are at risk of redundancy. The authors of the report assert that the most likely outcome of AI implementation is the augmentation of work, where some tasks are automated within a role, allowing time for other responsibilities.
The analysis reveals variations in the potential impact based on the development level of countries and their existing technological landscape. Richer countries see around 5.5% of total employment exposed to automation from generative AI, while this risk is limited to about 0.4% in low-income nations. Notably, women are expected to be more affected due to their overrepresentation in clerical work.
The report underscores the importance of responsible AI adoption, highlighting the need for proactive policy design that supports orderly transitions, inclusivity, and social protection. The authors emphasize that humans remain at the core of decision-making regarding AI integration and the ensuing transition process.
