Research Shows Positive Impact of AI on Future of Work
With the evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics and digitization, the way we work may change, but there are also opportunities for job creation, workplace inclusion and new skills development, according to our (PDF file) research at the Diversity Institute and from workforce experts at Ryerson University’s Magnet (external link) .
New data from the World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report (external link) , released in September 2018 also points to positive gains. The report estimates that machines and automated software will handle half of all workplace functions within seven years and predicts that while the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” could displace 75 million jobs, it will create 133 million new jobs globally.
AI applications can handle more complex tasks and jobs more swiftly, accurately and in less time with fewer errors. Current most applications are in repetitive, transactional processes in ecommerce and manufacturing. But the transformative potential of AI is immense. In health care, for example, AI and robotics are already being used to support diagnostics and performing complex surgeries but barriers to widespread implementation remain.
In a recent book, When Machines Do Everything, Cognizant VP, Malcolm Frank proclaimed that “data is better than oil” in terms of creating wealth and opportunities. At the same time, like oil, it can have unintended social consequences and increasingly the complexity of the technology and its potential impacts are coming into sharper focus. Not only is AI seen as a tool for job destruction, job creation and job transformation, but its power to drive productivity and innovation are accompanied by risks, for example, related to privacy that need to be assessed and managed.
Future Skills
These changes are creating an insatiable demand for well-trained computer scientists, data scientists and engineers as well as for other disciplines that can help bridge technologists and end users, understanding how organizations and humans work, the complex regulatory and policy environments, as well as user experience, sales and marketing. The Diversity Institute’s research shows the need for AI talent across the board – from AI startups to large corporations to health care institutions and government. But it also showed that in addition to demanding deep technical skills, one of the biggest gaps in the training ecosystem was for “hybrids,” people who understood the technology as well as its applications. Core competencies in these positions include understanding of the technology and its applications but not a background in computer science or engineering. This opens up massive opportunities for diverse graduates from across disciplines. By expanding opportunities beyond computer science and engineering, lucrative AI careers become more accessible to women and other under-represented groups.
Rapidly evolving employer needs demand agile and adaptable skills development. Recent research by the Vector Institute (external link) , for example, confirmed the Diversity Institute’s research on industry needs. A consultation by 1000 AIMs, a response to the Ontario’ Government’s commitment to produce 1000 AI related masters by 1023, emphasized the importance of developing competencies in three areas: AI Applications and Methods, Communications and Teamwork and Ethics and Societal Impacts. While some of the programs being launched are traditional masters of engineering, others like the new Queen’s MBA in Artificial Intelligence place heavy emphasis on developing “hybrids” who combine business and technical skills. New technology enabled approaches to developing skills are also emerging, for example, through EdX’s online programs which have made training more accessible and convenient. The Diversity Institute has also partnered with employers and technology providers to develop aptitude and skills testing along with intensive, just in time, work integrated learning programs to help build alternative pathways into the industry for diverse Canadians including women, newcomers and other under-represented groups with demonstrable success.
Leveraging AI to Bridge the Skills Gap
In the face of this rapid change, new approaches are needed to match job seekers to employers and to develop new knowledge and skills almost in real time. One example of how AI is being used to bridge the future skills gap, is Magnet’s online platform which was aims to accelerate inclusive job and economic growth using data-rich, intelligent matching technology. Developed at Ryerson University, it connects employers and job seekers based on skills, preferences and needs. Its real-time labour market intelligence capabilities are also contributing to evidence-based information being used to predict skills needs and shortages. Magnet also works with industry sector partners and universities to provide just in time job skills assessments and training.
“To complement the functions that these disruptive technologies can takeover, employers are equally searching for human skills,” says Mark Patterson, Executive Director, Magnet. “Future workforces will need to be trained on how human interaction, interpretation and management can go hand in hand with AI, robotics and digitization within corporations.”
The potential of AI to transform training with new forms of competency and aptitude assessments, adaptive online learning, assistive tools, inclusive recruitment and employee support and more are revolutionary. Along with partners, Magnet is building a national platform to leverage these tools to anticipate and respond to demands for Future Skills.
Inclusive Innovation
“There is an urgent need to understand what skills Canadians will need to prosper in the future and how we can better leverage our current skills development infrastructure to meet these needs,” says Wendy Cukier, Ryerson University Professor of Entrepreneurship & Strategy and Director of Ryerson’s Diversity Institute. “For years we have talked about how diversity and inclusion can drive innovation. We now have an unparalleled opportunity to leverage what we know about innovation processes along with advanced AI enabled tools to anticipate and quickly respond to emerging future skills needs, to transform the training ecosystem making it more agile and responsive, and, at the same time, to create new opportunities and pathways for diverse job seekers. Of course we want more women in engineering and computer science. That goes without saying. But, if we can think out of the box and focus on the competencies employers need, we can create new pathways for women from across disciplines to lucrative AI and ICT jobs. We can find ways to deliver on our promises to highly skilled newcomers, many of whom are under-employed. We can leverage the technology itself to create more accessible workplaces for people with disabilities: currently university grads with severe disabilities have poorer employment outcomes than high school dropouts in spite of having demonstrated their abilities, for example. Our partners have shown that by using aptitude testing and work integrated learning models, we can create opportunities for indigenous youth who may not have the traditional credentials sought by ICT employers. The urgent demand for skilled workers is leading some employers to reconsider what they had long assumed were credentials required for the job and to focus more on competencies. We have to be prepared to challenge the status quo and embrace innovation in the training system. To try and assess new approaches, abandon what does not work and rapidly replicate and scale what does.”
Going Forward
It’s not all about training workers and job seekers. Employers also need to embrace change. “Needed are knowledge and solutions that shift the focus from just 'fixing' job seekers to eroding systemic barriers to change in our institutions, helping us build a more inclusive and equitable labour market,” Cukier adds. “Building skills that are transferable from one sector or industry to another, while also cultivating the skills required to support emerging segments of the economy are needed.”
The Government of Canada along with industry associations such as Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) are also responded to this coming digital shift by introducing skills training opportunities including work integrated learning, among other initiatives. Universities are also responding. Both Magnet and the Diversity Institute are part of the work integrated learning ecosystem and have partnered with industry and government to deliver programs such as ASPIRE (external link) which is powered by Magnet’s platform and ADaPT developed and analysed by the Diversity Institute with a goal of preparing tomorrow’s workforce and making Canada more competitive.
