AI is rapidly changing the world around us, from the way we interact online to the way we work. But while technology is capable of completing a staggering number of tasks, humans are far from obsolete.
A new McKinsey report sheds light on why humans are still essential. According to the report, approximately 57% of work hours can be automated. Meanwhile, 70% of the skills employers are looking for can be used for both automated and non-automated work. This means that over the next five years, humans will have to adjust their work habits to make room for automation.
McKinsey designed an index to assess how automation will impact every skill used in today’s workplace. According to the index, skills such as digital and information processing, accounting and coding are the most likely to be affected by AI.
Jobs that require physical activity will have a smaller impact and represent 35% of work hours in the United States. While robots have made great strides in their ability to complete physical tasks, they cannot rival the “fine motor skills, dexterity, and situational awareness” of humans, the report says.
Skills that rely on emotional awareness and personal connection (such as coaching, helping, caring, or negotiating) will have the least impact. The report explains that “even with full adoption” of AI, emotional skills will still be relevant in many roles.
Currently, about 75% of demand for AI skills falls into one of three categories: computing or mathematical jobs (44%), management roles (19%), and business and financial operations (7%). However, the report goes on to highlight that “almost all occupations have at least one highly altered skill, defined as a skill that will be in the top quartile of change by 2030,” and that a third of occupations will see more than 10% of their skills “highly altered.”
While many jobs will change, new jobs will also be created where working alongside AI will be essential. In fact, the report says, demand for workers who understand AI is growing faster than any other skill set.
“Workers will spend less time preparing documents and conducting basic research, for example, and more time asking questions and interpreting results,” the report says. “Employers may increasingly value skills that add value to AI.”
Making space for AI in the workplace is key. The technology could unlock about $2.9 trillion in economic value in the U.S. if companies can use employees to work alongside automation, the report projects. Either way, while humans are still necessary for most jobs, AI will inevitably continue to change the way humans work, regardless of their role.