Adam Clark Estes, a senior technology correspondent at Vox and the author of the User Friendly newsletter, has dedicated 15 years to exploring the intersection of technology, culture, and politics through platforms like The Atlantic, Gizmodo, and Vice.
Many people harbor fears regarding artificial intelligence (AI), yet it is essential to learn how to utilize it effectively. In a noteworthy finding, an advanced model of ChatGPT recently generated a statistic suggesting that U.S. productivity experienced its most rapid growth in 2024 since the 1960s, attributing this rise to generative AI tools that were nearly unknown to many workers just two years prior. Unfortunately, this claim was fabricated.
Despite its well-documented inaccuracies, generative AI has increasingly integrated into the work lives of many, including the author. According to a June Gallup poll, 42% of American employees reported using AI at least a few times a year, and 19% used it several times a week, with higher adoption rates among white-collar workers (27%) compared to only 9% of frontline manufacturing workers.
As this technology becomes a staple in many workplaces, anxiety around job security is rising. A Pew survey from February revealed that over half of U.S. employees expressed concern about their career stability in an AI-driven world.
The uncertainty surrounding AI’s future means that there is no guaranteed strategy for maintaining job security, particularly for white-collar employees. Many companies are preemptively downsizing staff in light of this ambiguity. Microsoft, for instance, has laid off more than 15,000 employees since May, citing a shift toward AI-centric operations. Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, informed employees that the company would implement additional generative AI solutions while reducing its workforce in the upcoming years. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei even warned that AI could eliminate half of entry-level white-collar roles, inspiring Axios to label the impending changes as a “white-collar bloodbath.”
This situation is particularly concerning given that, as demonstrated by the author’s own experience with ChatGPT, current generative AI models, while beneficial, still require human oversight to function effectively. This will remain true even as the technology evolves into AI agents that handle tasks on behalf of users. Currently, AI serves to enhance rather than replace white-collar jobs, though executives might be planning for future automation of these roles.
The journey towards AI’s full potential promises to eliminate mundane tasks while fostering abundance, but achieving this goal is fraught with challenges. “With every other form of innovation, we ended up with more jobs in the end,” noted Ethan Mollick, a Wharton professor and author of One Useful Thing.
But living through the Industrial Revolution still kind of sucked, right? There were still anarchists in the street and mass displacement from cities and towns.
The extent of disruption from the AI transition remains to be seen, but history indicates that significant technological advancements, like the personal computer and the internet, have fundamentally changed how we work. If AI does emerge as a transformative force akin to the steam engine, becoming proficient in its use is essential.
Still, mastering AI skills does not guarantee immunity from job cuts in a corporate environment that prioritizes efficiency gains. Those affected by layoffs may find themselves simply victims of circumstance, yet possessing these skills remains advantageous.
Understanding the AI landscape can be daunting, but it’s critical to navigate this transition thoughtfully. After grappling with the concept of AI for two years post-ChatGPT’s launch, the author was encouraged by Mollick to utilize AI for mundane tasks. This led to the realization that advanced AI models, like ChatGPT and Claude, could be invaluable research companions, enhancing both the efficiency and quality of work performed.
What suits one individual may not apply to another when it comes to generative AI tools and their evolving counterparts. “Workers obviously need to try to ascertain as much as they can — the skills that are most flexible and most useful,” said Mark Muro, a senior fellow at Brookings Metro, emphasizing the importance of familiarity with emerging technologies.
Mollick suggests a pragmatic approach for white-collar workers: devote 10 hours to engaging with AI in their daily tasks. His updated guide on recent AI tools provides useful insights into maximizing their potential, emphasizing that advanced tools can function as diligent assistants. Experimenting with various AI models and their features, including mobile capabilities, can provide deeper insights into their applications. However, investing in premium versions often yields better results, as free models typically serve only as demos.
The ongoing AI evolution is anticipated to uniquely impact white-collar workers. According to the Brookings report, 100% of the tasks for roles such as bookkeepers and clerks are likely to face automation risks. Those in positions such as travel agents, tax preparers, and administrative assistants may also find their roles significantly threatened, leading to the potential loss of millions of jobs. Mollick reflected, “The thing I’d be most worried about is if my task and job are very similar to each other. If I have a very narrow job around a very narrow task that’s being done repetitively, that’s where the most risk comes in.”
The path to securing one’s career amidst the uncertainty of AI’s integration is complex. Companies may leverage this transition to enhance productivity and employee satisfaction or, conversely, may exploit it as justification for extensive layoffs, undermining the opportunity for meaningful transformation in the workplace. The sense of lacking control over the trajectory of this evolution is disheartening.
Ultimately, it’s advisable to experiment with AI. Worst case, you spend time engaging with a chatbot instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media. Best case, you acquire new skills that could enable you to explore novel job possibilities that have yet to materialize in the AI era and maybe, even enjoy the process.
