Washington | AFP
Artificial intelligence (AI) will impact 60% of jobs in advanced economies, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said shortly before departing for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“In advanced economies and some emerging markets, 60% of their jobs will be affected,” he said in an interview in Washington, pointing to a new International Monetary Fund report on the issue.
“And then it drops to 40% for emerging markets and 26% for lowincome countries,” he added, pointing to the IMF report indicating that nearly 40% of global employment is exposed to AI.
The report suggests that half of the jobs affected by AI will be harmed, while the rest could benefit from increased productivity through AI.
“Your job could disappear completely, which is not good, or artificial intelligence could improve your job, make you more productive and increase your income,” Georgieva told AFP.
While AI will initially have a smaller impact on emerging and developing countries, they are also less likely to reap the benefits of this new technology, according to the IMF.
“This could exacerbate the digital divide and income inequality between countries,” the report continued, adding that older workers are likely to be more vulnerable to changes caused by AI.
The IMF sees a great opportunity for politicians to address these concerns, Georgieva told AFP.
“We need to focus on helping lowincome countries in particular to act more quickly to take advantage of the opportunities that artificial intelligence will bring,” he said.
“In other words, embrace it, it’s coming,” he added. “So, artificial intelligence, yeah, it's a little scary. But it’s also a huge opportunity for everyone.”