The landscape of employment is set to undergo significant changes in the coming years, as automation increasingly encroaches on various job sectors. Olivier Godement, the head of product for business products at OpenAI, highlighted three professions that are on the verge of automation during a recent episode of the “Unsupervised Learning” podcast. The sectors identified include life sciences, customer service, and computer engineering.
In the realm of life sciences, Godement emphasized the transformative potential of automation, particularly in pharmaceutical companies like Amgen. He noted that the process of drug development involves extensive administrative tasks that could be streamlined through automation. “The time it takes from once you lock the recipe of a drug to having that drug on the market is months, sometimes years,” he explained. Godement believes that advancements in AI can significantly reduce this timeline by efficiently aggregating and analyzing vast amounts of structured and unstructured data.
Godement, who joined OpenAI in 2023 after an eight-year tenure at Stripe, acknowledged that while complete automation of white-collar jobs is not imminent, there are promising applications in coding and customer service. “The automation is probably not yet at the level of automating completely the job of a software engineer, but I think we have a line of sight essentially to get there,” he remarked.
The future of software engineering has sparked considerable debate within the tech community, especially as companies begin integrating AI-assisted coding into their workflows. A study by Indeed in October 2023 revealed that software engineers, quality assurance engineers, product managers, and project managers have been among the most affected by recent layoffs and organizational restructuring, indicating a shift in demand for these roles.
In addition to coding, Godement pointed out that customer-oriented positions, such as sales and customer experience roles, are likely to see automation advancements soon. He cited his collaboration with T-Mobile, a leading telecommunications company in the United States, as an example of how AI can enhance customer interactions. “We’re starting to achieve fairly good results in terms of quality at a meaningful scale,” he said, expressing optimism about the rapid automation of tasks in this field.
The conversation around automation is not limited to Godement. Geoffrey Hinton, often referred to as the “Godfather of AI,” echoed similar sentiments in a podcast from June. He warned that while AI will eventually surpass human capabilities in many areas, certain professions may remain safer in the near term. “I’d say it’s going to be a long time before it’s as good at physical manipulation,” he said, suggesting that trades like plumbing may offer more stability compared to roles in fields susceptible to automation.
Hinton also noted that positions requiring mundane intellectual labor, such as paralegals, are at significant risk. He expressed concern for those employed in call centers, predicting that AI advancements will likely lead to widespread job displacement in these sectors.
As the dialogue surrounding automation continues to evolve, the implications for various industries remain profound. The insights from leaders like Godement and Hinton serve as a crucial reminder of the need for workers to adapt and reskill in a rapidly changing job market. The next few years will likely reveal the true extent of AI’s impact on the workforce, as organizations increasingly leverage technology to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.
