Some Workers Will Need to Reskill within 3 Years Due to AI

There’s been a lot of chatter and even more anxiety in some sectors about the possibility of advancing AI tools cannibalizing human jobs, including creative, knowledge-oriented jobs once thought to be automation-proof.

Now a new report from IBM reframes that conversation: yes, AI is going to have impacts on labor markets. But the real threat isn’t what many people think it will be.

The Necessity for Reskilling

The attention-grabbing headline (which we intentionally did not use here) points to 40% of workers being affected by AI. However, it’s not that AI will cannibalize 40% of jobs — not at all. Rather, IBM’s study found that some 40% of workers globally will need to learn how to use AI tools in order to keep succeeding in their current work.

Here’s a key quote from the report:

“AI won't replace people — but people who use AI will replace people who don’t.”

So what does that mean? It means that in many sectors, workers who currently don’t know how to use AI tools will need to reskill, or learn how to use those tools and incorporate them into their work routines.

The tricky thing here is that these tools are evolving rapidly. The tool a worker might need to know how to use three years from now likely doesn’t exist today. So the real key is adaptability, the ability to learn new systems quickly and adjust the way we work to take advantage of what those systems can do.

Not All Reskilling Has to Do with AI

While AI tools are driving the shift, there is at least some good news for the less tech-forward among us. Some of the skills that are in higher demand today than five years ago have nothing to do with technology — and that trend isn’t going away.

IBM highlighted three critical skills and their trajectories over 7 years from 2016 to 2023:

• Proficiency in STEM dropped from 42% to 28%

• Time management and prioritization skills rose from 33% to 42%

• Ability to work effectively in team environments rose from 35% to 40%

Additionally, communication skills, agility, ethics and integrity all stayed steadily high on the list.

What does all this mean? Why would STEM be less important just as we’re saying everyone needs to learn how to use AI?

One possibility: AI tools like ChatGPT can do basic STEM functions for us. So less of us need to know as much about coding or advanced math. But ChatGPT can’t manage our time or help us work better with others. So those soft skills become even more important — especially among people who also know how to incorporate AI tools into their workflows.

Jobs Most Likely to Be Affected by AI Advancements

So which jobs are most likely to be affected by AI advancements? Hubspot recently put together a list of job types that could most easily see impacts. Here are a few of their picks:

• Telemarketers

• Bookkeeping clerks

• Receptionists

• Couriers

• Proofreaders

For pretty much each category, the biggest threats to job loss are at the lower end of the talent spectrum:

• A low-margin office supply business might eventually ditch the receptionist, while the high-end law firm will retain that human touch.

• First-level phone support might go entirely to AI-powered IVR systems, while businesses retain skilled support staff to handle escalations.

• High-volume content has already largely ditched professional proofreading, and it’s easy to see how more and more of that “low-hanging fruit” will get gobbled up by AI. But best-selling novelists are still going to want that human touch.

Through the coming years, the best bet is to make friends with the AI tools related to your job responsibilities, if any exist. The way your job works may change and may involve the use of these tools. If you’re ready for that change, you’ll come out ahead of those who aren’t.