A survey of 3,000 employees in the United States has shed light on how concerned workers are about the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on their job security. Conducted by FreelanceWritingJobs.com, the study claims that just over 1 in 3 (35 percent) Americans are concerned about the possibility that AI could make their job redundant.
When analyzed by state, the survey found that workers in New Hampshire are most concerned about the impact of AI on their jobs, with 71 percent of respondents expressing concern. Conversely, Nebraska was the state with the least amount of concern, with just 17 percent of respondents expressing concern about the impact of AI on their job security. This discrepancy may be due to Nebraska being a traditional farming state and agriculture has not yet been significantly impacted by artificial intelligence.
The survey results also broke down workers’ concerns by industry. Surprisingly, workers in the technology industry were the most concerned, with 64 percent of respondents citing their concern. This paradox can be explained by the nature of the technology industry itself. Engineers are often very knowledgeable about the latest advances in AI and understand the potential of automation to take over many tasks previously performed by humans. This can lead to an increased sense of vulnerability and insecurity about one’s job security. In addition, the pace of technological change in the technology sector is faster than in other industries, and the introduction of AI systems has already led to the automation of many jobs in areas such as customer service and data analysis. This has only added to the fears of tech workers, who see the writing on the wall and fear for their own future.
Public sector workers were the least concerned, with just 19 percent of respondents expressing concerns. While this result may come as a surprise to some, it underscores the resilience and stability of public sector jobs and the belief (perhaps misguided) that they are less likely to be impacted by technological change. The public sector, which includes government agencies, schools, and other organizations, is often viewed as a bastion of stability that offers employees a secure and stable career path. One reason for public sector workers’ low concern might be the perception that the government is less likely to adopt new technologies, including AI, as quickly as the private sector. Public sector organizations often have more bureaucratic processes and regulations that can slow down the implementation of new technologies. This means that public sector workers may feel their jobs are less vulnerable to automation and other forms of technological change.
In hospitality, 59 percent of workers expressed concern about the impact of AI on their jobs. Healthcare workers were not far behind, with 44 percent stating their concern. In the legal industry, 52 percent of workers expressed concerns, while in retail and tourism, 43 percent of respondents expressed concerns.
In finance, 42 percent of workers expressed concerns, while 38 percent of workers in real estate expressed concern about the impact of AI on their jobs. IT workers were also concerned, with 52 percent stating their concern, as were workers in education (44 percent) and engineering (44 percent). In the media industry, 52 percent of journalists expressed concern, while 41 percent of engineers expressed concern.
Finally, the survey results also showed that 36 percent of workers admit to using artificial intelligence in their daily work to make their work easier.
