ChatGPT and Job Vulnerability: Which Professions Are Most at Risk
Large language models are a type of artificial intelligence that is currently taking the world by storm. These include OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and various others. All are trained on huge databases of written articles, in which they measure the probability of a word appearing given the sequence of words that appear before it.
Armed with this knowledge, the AI produces responses to a given prompt by listing the most likely sequence of words that the model suggests. Computer scientists have further refined these processes and refined the capabilities of these systems to improve output.
The results are by turns impressive, confusing and frightening. These AIs have the ability to write jokes, create poetry, and imitate literary styles. But they also confidently make mistakes, sometimes compounding them with a series of mistakes, a phenomenon AI engineers call hallucination.
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However, many observers predict a bright future for these AIs. Microsoft is building the capability into its Office products to help with writing reports, presentations, and data analysis. Google has a similar approach with Workspace. The hope—at least as far as these tech giants are concerned—is that these AI systems can dramatically improve the productivity of workers and the companies that employ them.
And that raises the question of how people will use them and which jobs are likely to be most affected by the emergence of Big Language Patterns.
Now we have an answer of sorts thanks to the work of Tyna Eloundou of OpenAI, an AI startup based in San Francisco, and colleagues. This group asked whether ChatGPT3.5 could be useful for a list of almost 20,000 tasks related to over 1,000 occupations, ranging from computer system architects and nurses to journalists and mathematicians.
(The database is called O*NET and is maintained by the US Department of Labor.)
The team then determined the impact ChatGPT3.5 would have. In any case, they wanted to know if the AI would make the task harder, easier, or require additional software to have a positive effect.
For example, one task an acute care nurse must perform is to “set up, operate, or monitor invasive equipment and devices, such as colostomy or tracheotomy equipment, mechanical ventilators, catheters, gastrointestinal tubes, and central lines.” In contrast, one task for the kindergarten teacher is to “involve parent volunteers and older students in children’s activities to facilitate their engagement in purposeful, complex play.” While one of the tasks of an online merchant is to “send email confirmation of completed transactions and shipment.”
The team asked a group of people to address this impact and also asked the same question to ChatGPT4, the most advanced version of OpenAI’s large language model.
The results make for interesting reading. “Our findings suggest that approximately 80% of the US workforce could have at least 10% of their work tasks affected by the introduction of GPTs,” say Eloundou and co. “Although about 19% of workers may see an impact on at least 50% of their tasks.”
But not all skills will be affected in the same way. For example, the team says that skills related to science and critical thinking will be less affected, while writing and programming skills will be more strongly affected.
The team also analyzed the impact by industry. “We find that information processing industries show high exposure, while manufacturing, agriculture and mining show lower exposure,” they say.
Game changer / ChatGPT job vulnerability
The team predicts that some jobs will not be affected by ChatGPT3.5 at all. These include: Service and Tire Changers, Motorcycle Mechanics, Quick Order Chefs and Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
In general, jobs that have a higher barrier to entry for people are more exposed to ChatGPT. These are jobs that require the highest level of education, experience and training.
But these conclusions come with an important caveat. A significant difficulty is understanding what kind of impact ChatGPT3.5 might have on a given task. The team acknowledges this and the fact that the results are entirely subjective.
It is also unclear whether ChatGPT3.5 will replace or enhance human activity. This is an important distinction for predicting future employment trends.
Regardless, ChatGPT3.5 and other similar AI systems are here to stay and will likely improve. They are also likely to have a pervasive impact on society and lead to a wide range of other innovations. For this reason, Elundu and colleagues conclude that large language patterns are “general purpose technology” like electricity or information technology.
There is little debate about the impact these technologies have had on civilization and how crucial they have become to everyday life.
But how much big language patterns will affect society in the coming months, years and decades is perhaps one of the most important questions we face.
Reference: GPTs are GPTs: An early look at the potential for impact of large language patterns on the labor market: arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
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