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Artificial General Intelligence: Is AI The Future of Humanity or the End of Jobs?

ByAlki David

Mar 19, 2023

The rise of artificial general intelligence (AGI) has sparked both excitement and fear among workers and experts alike. While AGI has the potential to revolutionize our world and free us from mundane tasks, it also has the potential to lead to job displacement and social issues.

So, what jobs and industries are at risk of being taken over by AI? The truth is that almost every job has the potential to be impacted by the rise of AGI. However, some industries are particularly vulnerable to automation, including transportation and logistics, manufacturing, and customer service.

Transportation and logistics is one of the industries that is most likely to be impacted by AGI. Self-driving cars and drones are already being developed and tested, and they have the potential to replace human drivers and delivery workers. While this could lead to increased efficiency and reduced costs for companies, it could also lead to significant job displacement.

Similarly, the manufacturing industry is already using automation to streamline production and reduce costs. AGI could take this automation to the next level, with robots and machines performing tasks that previously required human workers. Again, this could lead to increased efficiency and reduced costs, but it could also lead to job displacement.

The customer service industry is another sector that is vulnerable to AI disruption. Chatbots and virtual assistants are already being used to handle customer inquiries and support, and they have the potential to replace human customer service representatives. While this could lead to faster response times and improved customer satisfaction, it could also lead to job loss.

Siqi Chen, chief executive of San Francisco startup Runway, believes that the rise of AGI will bring about changes that are “orders of magnitude greater than every other technological change we’ve ever had in history.” He says, “But what we’re looking at now is intelligence itself… This is the first time we’re able to create intelligence itself and increase its amount in the universe.” Chen warns that while AGI could be a tool for tackling social and environmental issues, it is also a “double-edged sword” that must be as “steerable as possible.”

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. While some jobs may be displaced by AGI, new jobs will likely be created as well. Experts predict that there will be an increased demand for workers with technical skills, including data analysts, programmers, and software developers. Additionally, jobs that require social and emotional intelligence, such as healthcare providers and teachers, are less likely to be impacted by automation.

Ultimately, the impact of AGI on the workforce will depend on how it is implemented and how society chooses to respond. Some experts advocate for a Universal Basic Income to provide a safety net for workers who are displaced by automation, while others argue that it’s important to focus on upskilling and retraining workers to prepare them for the jobs of the future.

Regardless of how society responds, it’s clear that the rise of AGI will bring about significant changes to the world of work. It’s up to us to ensure that those changes are positive and equitable for everyone.

By Alki David

Alki David — Publisher, Media Architect, SIN Network Creator - live, direct-to-public communication, media infrastructure, accountability journalism, and independent distribution. Born in Lagos, Nigeria; educated in the United Kingdom and Switzerland; attended the Royal College of Art. Early internet broadcaster — participated in real-time public coverage during the 1997 Mars landing era using experimental online transmission from Beverly Hills. Founder of FilmOn, one of the earliest global internet television networks offering live and on-demand broadcasting outside legacy gatekeepers. Publisher of SHOCKYA — reporting since 2010 on systemic corruption inside the entertainment business and its expansion into law, finance, and regulation. Creator of the SIN Network (ShockYA Integrated Network), a federated media and civic-information infrastructure spanning investigative journalism, live TV, documentary, and court-record reporting. Lived and worked for over 40 years inside global media hubs including Malibu, Beverly Hills, London, Hong Kong and Gstaad. Early encounter with Julian Assange during the first Hologram USA operations proved a formative turning point — exposing the realities of lawfare, information suppression, and concentrated media power. Principal complainant and driving force behind what court filings describe as the largest consolidated media–legal accountability action on record, now before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Relocated to Antigua & Barbuda and entered sustained legal, civic, and informational confrontation over media power, safeguarding, and accountability at Commonwealth scale.