Developers have succeeded in creating generative artificial intelligence systems, but they did not anticipate that their jobs would be at risk when the systems they developed began to take over their work.
Technology companies usually employ specialists in programming and coding to develop various software and solutions. However, some are now starting to rely on artificial intelligence software to execute their work efficiently and at lower costs, according to a report published by the “Wall Street Journal”.
Lately, artificial intelligence solutions have emerged strongly to perform many tasks that were previously done by ordinary individuals, as they have been replaced by advanced technological systems. Jobs in the software field were among the leading positions affected by this skill-biased technological change, a term used by economists.
They pointed out that this is the scenario that unfolds when technology makes workers more effective in production, while it takes care of complex and difficult tasks, making those workers more replaceable.
The newspaper report reveals that the use of smart technology will automate cognitive tasks, impacting half of the American workforce engaged in these professions, as demand for individuals with intermediate skills will decline in favor of various technological systems.
The modern technology is capable of rebalancing winners and losers in the American economy, which is becoming increasingly unequal in multiple aspects.
Since late 2022, “Chat GP Technologies” has begun harnessing significant advancements in artificial intelligence, especially in text, image, and even video creation. Developers found a way to utilize and adapt this technology by assisting them in creating and testing programming “codes,” without knowing that this advancement would also impact their jobs.
In mid-2022, Microsoft released a new tool called “GitHub Copilot”, enabling programmers and regular users to use it to create and test programming codes.
The newspaper mentioned that the release of programming assistance tools on various platforms came in the context of wide-ranging layoffs of a large number of employees in technology companies at the end of last year. According to “Reveille Labs” data, “software engineer” positions were the most affected in the U.S. job market since the beginning of 2023, despite the high demand for those with “very advanced” software engineering expertise.
The report attributes the current job market situation in the software industry to start-ups striving to survive in an “economically declining” environment and reducing employment, while some companies hire individuals with advanced exceptional expertise, keeping them in place while freezing opportunities for those with intermediate skills.
Data from the survey conducted by “Stack Overflow” shows that about 70% of 90,000 programmers who participated in the survey have used artificial intelligence solutions in their work, with the remaining half confirming that these tools help them be more productive.
Technology experts express concerns about the risks and effects of artificial intelligence systems if not properly regulated. Jeffrey Hinton, known as the father of artificial intelligence, called on governments at the end of June to intervene to ensure machines cannot control society.
When Hinton announced his resignation from Google in May, it made headlines. He had been with Google for a decade, and through his resignation, he spoke more freely about the risks of artificial intelligence. This came shortly after the launch of the “Chat GP Technologies” chat program, which amazed the world’s imagination.
The artificial intelligence scientist studying at the University of Toronto said: “Before artificial intelligence becomes smarter than us, I believe it is important to encourage those developing it to make a great effort to understand how it can be prevented from controlling us.”
He went on to say: “Currently, there are 99 very intelligent people striving to improve artificial intelligence, and one very smart person trying to figure out how to prevent it from taking control, and you may need to be more balanced.”
