We are living in AI era, but what are its impacts on jobs? Microsoft and LinkedIn reveal

Updated on 09-May-2024

HIGHLIGHTS

Microsoft and LinkedIn have revealed a rather thought-provoking report titled "AI at Work is here. Now comes the hard part.”

The report suggests that the use of generative AI has nearly doubled in the past six months.

However, companies are facing challenges while using AI for tangible business outcomes.

AI has cooked up a storm in our world and what people are most worried about is how it will impact their jobs in the coming future. In the middle of that Microsoft and LinkedIn have revealed a rather thought-provoking report that shed light on how AI is entering the workspaces and how it is impacting people. The report titled “AI at Work is here. Now comes the hard part.”

To formulate the report, the players took a survey of 31,000 individuals across 31 countries. It was further backed by LinkedIn labor and hiring trends, trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals, and collaborative research with Fortune 500 clients. So the report does hold some value.

Also read: Will AI eat up your job? Studies suggest otherwise

The AI revolution gains momentum

As we are aware, 2024 has been the year of AI so far. AI also reached workplaces this year. Employers tried to incorporate AI into their offices. The report suggests that the use of generative AI has nearly doubled in the past six months. LinkedIn says that many professions are trying to add AI skills to their portfolios to survive this.

The experiment

Yes, everyone indeed wants to incorporate AI in their offices, but they are also experimenting with it since it’s a new field. Companies are facing challenges while using AI for tangible business outcomes. The leaders are facing challenges at multiple ends. A- there is no proper vision with AI, where will it end, how to go about it, etc. And B- even employees are bringing in personal AI tools. The report reveals that 75% of knowledge workers now use AI at work.

The report says, “But although 79% of leaders agree AI adoption is critical to remain competitive, 59% worry about quantifying the productivity gains of AI and 60% say their company lacks a vision and plan to implement it.”

The report, however, did have a brighter side to it. Here are three insights that reflect on AI’s transformative potential:

As I mentioned earlier, 75% of knowledge workers currently employ AI. They say that it provides better time efficiency, enhanced creativity, and improved focus as key benefits.
With AI booming all over the world, there is a rising demand for AI-skilled professionals. There is a growing talent shortage and employers are more tilted towards hiring those who have AI skills. 66% of employers say that they will not hire people who do not have AI skills. Keeping this in mind, people are upskilling on their own. A 142x increase in LinkedIn members adding such skills to their profiles was noted.
We cannot deny the fact that AI has indeed changed work dynamics. Over 90% of power users say that AI helps them save time and helps them navigate the hefty workloads daily.

What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments.

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Mustafa Khan

Mustafa is new on the block and is a tech geek who is currently working with Digit as a News Writer. He tests the new gadgets that come on board and writes for the news desk. He has found his way with words and you can count on him when in need of tech advice. No judgement. He is based out of Delhi, he’s your person for good photos, good food recommendations, and to know about anything GenZ.