The Future of Work in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
The ability to explain artificial intelligence tools in simple terms will be a key factor in succeeding in the labor market, according to economist Robert Seamans. Seamans, a professor of management and organizations at NYU’s Stern School of Business, believes that workers who can understand and explain AI will be in high demand.
The Impact of AI on the Labor Market
AI will transform most of the work we do, but it will impact every profession in different ways. Seamans predicts that AI will be a part of the future of virtually every worker, just as the Internet became an integral part of daily life decades ago. The workers who can best benefit from the labor market transformation through generative AI tools like ChatGPT will be those who understand how to use the technology to maximize their own performance and how to test and train AI.
New Jobs Created by AI
Seamans expects companies to hire "AI explainers" or "AI translators" who can help managers better understand an organization’s AI tools. These individuals will need to understand enough about AI to make it clear that they are competent in the field and able to talk about it to a broader audience. Another common role that awaits is the "AI auditor", who checks the AI for bias or factual inaccuracies. They would need to know enough about an AI system to be able to test it and know what benchmarks to use to determine whether there is bias or not.
Advice for Workers and Students
Seamans also expects employers to increasingly hire trainers who can train employees on how to use a company’s AI apps. His advice for workers, students, and young professionals is to play around with AI and not assume there is a certain way you should interact with it. Interacting in different ways will get different answers, and this will help individuals to better understand how AI works and how to use it to their advantage.
The Importance of Understanding AI
People who understand AI and can explain how it works in simple terms will be in demand. They don’t have to be the best computer scientists when it comes to building and running large language models, but they do need to understand enough about it to make it clear that they are competent in the field. This will be a key factor in succeeding in the labor market, and individuals who can develop this skill will be well-positioned for success in the age of artificial intelligence.
