AI’s Impact on Jobs: A Touchy Topic in the Tech World
How will AI Impact the future of Work
A bold sign reading “Stop Hiring Humans” drew attention at an artificial intelligence conference in Las Vegas, underscoring one of the most controversial questions surrounding today’s rapidly advancing technology: Will AI take people’s jobs?
The sign, displayed at the HumanX AI event, was designed to provoke discussion rather than offer a literal directive. “We’re not worried about tiptoeing around. We’re sparking the conversation,” said Fahad Alam of Artisan, a San Francisco-based startup.
Artisan is among a growing number of companies promoting AI “agents” virtual representatives capable of identifying sales prospects, reaching out to customers, drafting emails, and scheduling meetings. These systems are designed to make decisions traditionally handled by humans. According to Artisan’s website, its AI avatar “Ava” costs 96 percent less than a human performing the same tasks.
AI agents have emerged as the latest development in the generative AI wave that began with the launch of ChatGPT in 2022. Yet while startups like Artisan embrace direct messaging about automation, many AI firms tread carefully when discussing the potential for job displacement.
“I don’t fundamentally think it’s about displacing employees as much as better leveraging them for the things only humans can do,” said Josh Constine of venture capital firm SignalFire.
Predictions about AI’s impact on employment vary widely.
Goldman Sachs has estimated that AI could eliminate as many as 300 million jobs globally through automation. A 2024 report by research firm Metrigy found that 89 percent of surveyed companies reduced customer relations staff over the past year due to generative AI tools.
On the other hand, the World Economic Forum reported that 70 percent of major companies plan to hire workers with AI-related skills in the coming years, suggesting that technological disruption may also create new opportunities.
Joe Murphy of D-iD, a company that develops AI video avatars and recently partnered with Microsoft, describes the transformation as part of a natural cycle.
“Like the car’s invention, AI will create a new sector,” Murphy said. “Jobs will be created and lost simultaneously.”
Historical data offers some support for that perspective. According to the US Department of Labor, the number of secretaries and administrative assistants declined from 4.1 million in 1992 to 3.4 million in 2023 a period that coincided with the widespread adoption of office computing. Meanwhile, jobs for computer scientists more than doubled, rising from about 500,000 to 1.2 million over the same period.
Despite such comparisons, the subject remains sensitive.
“You’re selling software that replaces a significant part of their team,” said Tomasz Tunguz, founder of Theory Ventures. “You can’t sell that overtly.”
Some companies are reluctant to publicize their use of AI tools. “Some clients candidly don’t want it known they’re using AI,” Alam acknowledged.
Analysts predict that programmers, call center operators, translators, and travel agents could be among the most vulnerable professions. Still, experts caution against accepting sweeping claims whether optimistic or dire without scrutiny.
“Technology innovators learn communication skills by overstating the positive, underplaying the negative,” said Mark Hass, a marketing professor at Arizona State University.
Many startups, however, reject the notion that they are minimizing risks. Paloma Ochi of Decagon, a marketing AI startup, said most clients adopt AI not merely for efficiency but for growth.
“The majority of people we’re talking to aren’t doing this because of efficiency. They’re doing this because of top-line revenue growth,” Ochi said. “And when the business grows, that’s good for everyone. There are going to be more jobs for humans within that business.”
Similarly, Joshua Rumsey, senior sales engineer at Aisera, said most companies are not rushing to lay off workers. Instead, they are seeking to expand without hiring replacements as employees leave.
While the scale and speed of change remain uncertain, few doubt that workplace transformation is underway. The debate now centers on how transparent companies should be about the consequences.
Hass argues that openness is essential. Surprising the public with sudden job losses, he warns, could spark backlash.
“Talking about the implications doesn’t weaken the case for AI, because I think it’s inevitable,” he said. “Not talking about it in a wholesome way creates the opportunity for misunderstanding.”
As AI continues to evolve, so too will its role in reshaping the global workforce raising difficult questions that neither tech companies nor society can afford to ignore.
