Will there be jobs without salaries in the future? What is the impact of AI? What skills should students acquire?

 

    No, AI will not have an impact on unpaid jobs in the future because, except for a few sectors, most jobs will continue to be performed by human workers.  Companies are even offering incentives to motivate them to improve their work.  For example, AI technology in driving doesn't work everywhere, and driving with the help of AI would be very difficult in remote areas.  Therefore, it can be assumed that AI will not affect all types of work. experts like Elon Musk have predicted that AI-driven abundance could be combined with universal basic income (UBI) to supplement or replace wages during shifts in employment.

 The Effect of AI 

    In the job market, automation of routine tasks is accelerated by AI, displacing positions in customer service, manufacturing, and entry-level white-collar occupations and creating new ones in oversight and innovation. According to Anthropic's CEO, by 2026, 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs will be lost, and unemployment in the United States could reach 10% to 20%. Salesforce has already eliminated 5,000 jobs. By 2030, McKinsey projects that 13-15% of workers worldwide will switch jobs, which will increase productivity but put inequality at risk if workers are not reskilled. Non-tech employment expands alongside AI in India, and salary increases typically range from 9 to 9.5%. 

• Use of machines for repetitive tasks: 

AI excels in data entry, coding, chatbots for customer service, and assembly in manufacturing.

• Job Creation and Shifts: 

AI generates demand for roles in AI ethics, data labeling, prompt engineering, and system maintenance, according to McKinsey's estimates that 45% of work activities could be automated by 2030. For instance, the World Economic Forum projects that AI and automation will create 98 million new jobs by 2025, compensating for 84 million lost jobs.

• Enhancement rather than replacement: 

AI handles routine tasks, but humans can focus on their creativity and judgment. Marketers use AI tools for personalization, while doctors use AI for diagnosis, but the final decision is always made by the doctors.

Essential Skills for Students

To remain relevant, students should develop AI-complementary skills that combine technology proficiency, ethics, and human strengths. Some important areas are: - 

• "AI Fundamentals": 

Python, machine learning, TensorFlow/PyTorch for automating models, and so on. - 

• Data & Tools:

Prompt engineering, NLP (such as GPT and Hugging Face), and analytics using SQL/R. 

• Human-Centric: 

Addressing AI bias and strategy through critical thinking, creativity, and ethics.

• "India-Focused":

            Tools like Zapier that don't require you to write code and automate tests These are available for careers in blogging and finance automation on hands-on platforms like Coursera.

• Adaptive Skills:

 Platforms for AI courses like Coursera and upGrad. Entrepreneurship: Create side businesses like AI-automated blogs or finance tools. Domain expertise: Combine with AI, such as health/nutrition AI apps or edtech for M.Ed. pursuits.

 There are some jobs that will never be impacted by AI. In my opinion, AI will not affect hotels, home nurses, curry points, manual labor such as Kalamkari work, and especially household chores and childcare.