The consequences of AI-based technologies for jobs

Recent discussion, first in the business press and then in related public policy communities, has considered the notion that industrial countries are on the verge of important changes that stem from information technology (IT), including artificial intelligence (AI), and its implications for how work is performed. The size and pervasiveness of these discussions merit a serious look at the ideas behind them and the fundamental question they ask: is there something happening already or about to happen in information technology that will change in a fundamental way businesses and organisations, jobs, and outcomes like pay and unemployment? This paper considers these issues.

By Peter Cappelli (Wharton, University of Pennsylvania)