Artificial intelligence will affect almost 40% of jobs worldwide – IMF

Artificial intelligence will affect nearly 40% of jobs worldwide, replacing some and complementing others, reports International monetary fund.

“The rapid advance of artificial intelligence has captivated the world, causing both excitement and alarm, and raising important questions about its potential impact on the global economy. The net effect is difficult to foresee, as AI will ripple through economies in complex ways,” the IMF said in a statement.

The IMF believes it is necessary to develop policies to ensure the safe use of artificial intelligence capabilities for the benefit of humanity. Assessing the potential impact of AI on the global labor market, IMF experts believe that in many cases it is likely to complement human labor.

“The findings are striking: almost 40 percent of global employment is exposed to AI. Historically, automation and information technology have tended to affect routine tasks, but one of the things that sets AI apart is its ability to impact high-skilled jobs,” the fund notes.

As a result, advanced economies face greater risks associated with AI. But they also have relatively more opportunities to take advantage of the technology.

According to IMF estimates, about 60% of jobs in developed countries could be affected by AI. About half of them could benefit from the integration of artificial intelligence by increasing productivity.

For the other half, AI can perform key tasks that are currently performed by humans, which can reduce the demand for labor, leading to lower wages and fewer employees. In the most extreme cases, some of these jobs may disappear.

In contrast, in emerging markets and low-income countries, the impact of artificial intelligence is expected to be 40% and 26%, respectively.