MIT AI Risk Repository · Risk Sub-Category · 49.03.01
Labour market risks
Category: Systemic Risks
Description
"Unlike previous waves of automation, general- purpose AI has the potential to automate a very broad range of tasks, which could have a significant effect on the labour market. This could mean many people could lose their current jobs. Labour market frictions, such as the time needed for workers to learn new skills or relocate for new jobs, could cause unemployment in the short run even if overall labour demand remained unchanged."
From International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI (Bengio2024), as extracted by the MIT AI Risk Repository (CC BY 4.0).
Classification
- Causal entity
- AI
- Intent
- Other
- Timing
- Post-deployment
Subdomain definition: Widespread use of AI increasing social and economic inequalities, such as by automating jobs, reducing the quality of employment, or producing exploitative dependencies between workers and their employers.
Real-world incidents in this subdomain
- Polish Radio Station Replaces Human Hosts with AI-Generated Presenters to Simulate Interviewing Deceased Poet Wisława Szymborska
- Fast Food Chains' AI Chatbots Failed to Assist Job Applicants with Scheduling Interviews
- Kenyan Data Annotators Allegedly Exposed to Graphic Content for OpenAI's AI
- RealPage Algorithm Allegedly Inflates Rents and Reduces Competition in Housing Market
- Amazon Flex Drivers Allegedly Fired via Automated Employee Evaluations
- Kronos Scheduling Algorithm Allegedly Caused Financial Issues for Starbucks Employees
How other frameworks describe this risk
Other entries from Bengio2024
- Malicious Use Risks
- Harm to individuals through fake content
- Harm to individuals through fake content
- Disinformation and manipulation of public opinion
- Cyber offence
- Cyber offence
- Cyber offence
- Dual use science risks
- Risks from Malfunctions
- Risks from product functionality issues
- Risks from product functionality issues
- Risks from product functionality issues