A majority of workers globally, 70%, are already using generative AI at work, but only 7% expect it to make their jobs obsolete, according to the Global Workforce of the Future Report 2023 by The Adecco Group.

But even as generative AI becomes more prevalent, access to training is unequal, it noted.

Just 46% of workers are receiving guidance on the technology from their employers. Managers were also more likely to receive training on AI than nonmanagers. However, 57% of workers overall expressed interest in receiving such training.

Adecco’s research also found that 62% of workers have a positive outlook on the effect of AI on their job and only 24% expect it to have a negative impact. Still, the report cited research by Goldman Sachs that more than 300 million jobs worldwide will be disrupted by AI in some way. To bridge the gap, companies must put upskilling measures in place, the Adecco report said.

Workers in the life sciences industry were most positive on AI, with 75% saying it would impact their job positively. Those in the transportation industry were least positive, with only 48% upbeat about AI.

AI to impact all jobs, few ‘highly’ so

Artificial intelligence will impact almost every job, but only 19.8% of jobs are considered “highly” exposed, according to a report by Indeed. Software development roles face the highest potential exposure, while driving jobs such as truck and taxi drivers face the lowest.

The jobs website analyzed more than 55 million job postings and 2,600 jobs skills to gauge the level of exposure.

“There’s no doubt [generative AI] is a powerful leap in technology that will impact all jobs, particularly those within the tech sector and the labor market as a whole,” said Svenja Gudell, Indeed’s chief economist.

“Our research shows that [generative AI] is less likely to replace an entire job but rather serve as a tool to augment or streamline parts of a job.”

If generative AI was considered “good” or “excellent” at 80% or more of the skills mentioned in Indeed job postings, that job is considered highly exposed. If it was “good” or “excellent” at between 50% and 80% of the skills, the job faces moderate exposure. And if it was proficient at less than 50% of the skills, the job faces low exposure.

Cybersecurity and AI

Companies anticipate a wide array of applications for generative AI in cybersecurity over the next two to three years, but a top challenge is the cybersecurity skills gap, according to a report by CompTIA. To narrow the gap, US companies are using internal training to improve cybersecurity skills, with 43% helping employees pursue certifications.

In addition, companies are now seeing more and more uses for AI in cybersecurity. More than half of the companies included in the study, 53%, anticipate generative AI will aid in monitoring network traffic and detecting malware. Additionally, half of companies foresee generative AI being utilized for analyzing user patterns.

Other anticipated applications include automating responses to cybersecurity incidents, automating the configuration of cybersecurity infrastructure, predicting potential breach areas and generating cybersecurity defense tests.