(un)Common Logic, a data-driven digital marketing agency, just released a new report about the U.S. locations with the most workers at risk of AI-related job displacement. I thought the report might be interesting to your readers.
Historically, jobs at the highest risk of computerized automation involved repetitive, low-complexity tasks, such as those performed by assembly line workers or farm laborers. However, the range of workers at risk of job displacement has now broadened: the most advanced AI systems now outperform humans in image, language, handwriting, and speech recognition, as well as language understanding and reading comprehension. As of last year, these models nearly matched human performance on predictive reasoning tests.
With the proliferation of AI-related research and new AI-enabled technologies, computers now have the potential to disrupt many industries previously believed to be insulated from automation—but, due to the distribution of industries and jobs across the country, AI-driven job displacement is likely to impact some areas more than others.
To determine the locations with the most workers at risk of AI-related job displacement, researchers calculated the percentage of workers in occupations that have both high AI exposure and high probabilities of computerization, then ranked locations accordingly.
These are the main takeaways from the report:
The trend toward computerized automation has historically made lower-income jobs more vulnerable to displacement, but AI changes that dynamic: AI-related automation shows a loose positive correlation with income, suggesting that higher earners may now face greater risk.
One useful way to understand AI’s impact on the labor force is to classify occupations based on their degree of AI exposure—how integral AI is predicted to be in their field—and the probability of computerized automation. For instance, professions like lawyers, CEOs, and civil engineers might rely on AI to enhance decision-making, but face low probabilities of being completely automated.
Conversely, occupations with both high AI exposure and high risk of automation include loan officers, accountants, and paralegals, whose tasks and knowledge can be more easily learned and replicated by AI systems.
Jobs such as farm laborers or fast food cooks are unlikely to be significantly impacted by AI, but can be automated using non-AI-based computerized machines. Meanwhile, highly hands-on professionals like dancers, firefighters, and plumbers face both low AI exposure and low risk of automation.
Stats for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area:
In the Los Angeles metro specifically, 9.2% of all workers are at risk of AI-related automation. Additionally, 43.2% of the Los Angeles metro’s workforce is at risk of any computerized automation.
Overall, the share of Los Angeles metro workers vulnerable to AI-related job displacement is larger than the national average of 8.9%.
Source: (un)Common Logic analysis of Felten et al. (2021), Frey & Osborne (2013), Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: (un)Common Logic
Here is a link to the complete results of the analysis, with data on more than 380 U.S. metros and all 50 states. Here is the original report: https://www.uncommonlogic.com/insights/cities-with-the-most-workers-at-risk-of-ai-job-displacement/