Many have wondered about — and feared — the impact that gen AI will have on labor markets. Some compare it to past innovations, like robots, whose effects have been relatively modest, while others have forecasted that its impacts will be more long-ranging, given gen AI’s fundamental ability to improve itself over time. New research analyzed over a million job posts for online gig workers to see what affect the introduction of tools like ChatGPT and image-generating AI have already had on the quantity of posts, job requirements, and pay of online workers — and which fields and professions have been the most impacted. The researchers offer insight into the challenges and potential opportunities of these shifting markets.
