AI (Artificial Intelligence) is the hottest thing on the digital streets. And unlike social media trends that come and go, this new technology has proven itself to have an impact that transcends the virtual world and could have real impacts on our daily lives.
So much so that recently the CEO of Anthropic, an AI company warned people of AI’s potential impact on the workforce.
“We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming,” Dario Amodei said in an interview with Axios. “AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs — and spike unemployment to 10-20% in the next one to five years.”
While he acknowledges the “very strange” dynamic of producing the technology and warning consumers of its risks, Amodei is not wrong. A 2023 study by McKinsey & Company warned that the increased usage of generative AI tools in the workplace could widen the already apparent racial wealth gap between Black and white communities. By 2045, experts predict that the growth of generative AI could cost Black households $43 billion annually.
Similarly, a survey conducted by Charter Works found that 53% of Black workers are concerned that AI will replace their positions, per Business Insider. Similarly, McKinsey & Company’s report notes that Black people are overrepresented in four of the top five occupations at risk of automation, including office support, production work, food services, and mechanical installation and repair.
“I don’t think anyone is taking into consideration how administrative, managerial and tech jobs for people under 30 — entry-level jobs that are so important in your 20s — are going to be eviscerated,” Steve Banon added, per Axios.
Interestingly enough, Black employees embrace generative AI tools more than their white counterparts, reporting a 55% usage and 61% enthusiasm compared to the 51% and 37% reported by white employees, respectively.
As George H. Lambert Jr., the president and CEO of the Greater Washington Urban League, told the Philadelphia Tribune in 2019: “Black America’s collective response to emerging technology will determine whether it is an opportunity—or an existential threat.”
To protect themselves from these risks, experts suggest that employees, especially Black employees, start to upskill and learn skills that pose a lower risk of being automated by seeking out training programs, certifications and online courses. And most recently, Harvard University opened up its doors virtually, allowing people to register for free asynchronous online courses at the Ivy League institution.
