Artificial intelligence is evolving at exponential speed. Given the already astonishing impact of generative AI like ChatGPT on the world of work, we can already wonder what future awaits younger workers. They themselves anticipate significant repercussions, but are hesitant to predict whether they will be positive or negative.
It could be said that young Quebec workers demonstrate cautious optimism about the emergence of AI in the context of their work. According to a survey carried out by the Léger firm on behalf of the Regroupement des Jeunes Chambres de Commerce du Québec (RJCCQ) among workers aged 18 to 35, a little more than a third (36%) of them mainly see advantages in AI and provide good opportunities for career advancement.
In contrast, not quite a quarter of respondents (24%) see the arrival of AI as a risk or inconvenience. Somewhere in between, 28% anticipate no impact on their work.
This almost equitable sharing between these three points of view, “it is very surprising”, affirms to the Duty the CEO of the RJCCQ, Pierre Graff. “Among young people who know about AI, a majority have a positive impression of it, but the less they know about it, the more negative they have of it. For now, the use of AI may remain marginal because it lacks concreteness, but more and more AI applications are being used in the office. The impact that AI will have on the professional future of young workers should not be underestimated. »
One thing is certain: artificial intelligence is a subject that almost everyone has already heard of. The vast majority of young professionals surveyed by Léger say they follow news related to AI. Nine out of 10 respondents say they are informed about AI. Eight of them believe that they will have to keep their skills up to date and continue to follow the evolution of AI if they wish to remain relevant in their field.
What effect on employment?
In the months following OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT, several media analysts specializing in the labor market predicted a new surge in the automation of repetitive tasks, especially those related to information processing. It has been predicted that many office workers will see their place threatened in the most advanced economies on the planet.
Unsurprisingly, this fear is also present in the minds of young Quebec professionals. “That’s what worries you the most, this possibility of losing your job. We also fear the erosion of interpersonal relationships,” notes Pierre Graff. “It also raises questions about the regulation of AI by governments,” he adds, implying that it might be wiser to limit such a negative impact on the labor market.
That said, when we dig a little deeper into the question of AI tools which seem to quickly find their place in the daily lives of workers in Quebec and elsewhere, we realize that it is mainly office automation tools which simplify tasks. repetitive and which make workers more productive, but not superfluous.
The RJCCQ’s position on AI is therefore quite simple: we must encourage workers and bosses to become better acquainted with the technology, to clearly distinguish between what could represent a threat and an opportunity to future.
In an open letter published today on our digital platforms, Pierre Graff, Marie-Chantal Leduc and Bertrand Milot, all three from the RJCCQ, as well as AI researcher Maxime Cohen, from McGill University, propose five recommendations which are moving in this direction.
“Individuals informed and trained about AI appreciate how this technology can solve complex problems,” they write. Considering that the sustainability of our businesses relies on the ability to adapt and innovate, artificial intelligence must be seen as a new skill to master, explore, supervise and experiment with. AI technologies are incommensurable for improving the productivity of businesses and the entire Quebec population. »
As long as you master them well.