Most workers are unlikely to need specialist artificial intelligence (AI) skills but the technology will fundamentally change the work they do.
That is the conclusion of the just-released OECD research report examining the impact of AI on the demand for particular skills.
The research found evidence of decreasing demand for cognitive, digital, processing and resource management skills in organisations highly exposed to AI.
There were also signs that high use of AI might lift demand for manual labour in some industries.
Labour market economist Andrew Green found that management and business skills were the most needed attributes in AI-exposed workplaces.
“These include skills in general project management, finance, administration and clerical tasks,” he said.
“Firms will demand more workers with AI skills, i.e. workers with the knowledge and competencies to actively develop and maintain AI models.
“However, despite the recent popular interest and policy research on workers with AI skills, these workers represent only a tiny share of overall employment. Most workers who will work with AI are unlikely to need any AI skills or even knowledge of how AI systems function.”
Mr Green said the research also showed that the share of occupations demanding at least one emotional, cognitive or digital skill had increased by 8 percentage points.
The research was based on an analysis of the skills being required for job vacancies across a group of OECD countries.
“On average across the 10 OECD countries in the sample, 72 percent of vacancies in high AI exposure occupations demand at least one management skill and 67 percent demand at least one business processes skill,” Mr Green found.
“Social, emotional and digital skills are also highly demanded with over 50 percent of vacancies in high-exposure occupations demanding at least one skill from these skill groupings.”
“For social skills, demand increased by over six percentage points, while it increased by over five percentage points for business process and management skills.
“At the same time, the report finds evidence that the demand for these skills may be falling in establishments more exposed to AI.”
The report suggested there is some evidence that AI adoption may increase the demand for some blue-collar skills, “possibly through a productivity effect that results in higher demand and spills over to other workers at the establishment”.
It found some correlation between adaptation of AI and the need to have more people working in production and using physical skills.
The full report is on the OECD website.
