Laura Poy Solano
The newspaper La Jornada
Wednesday, August 7, 2024, p. 13
In the coming decades, lifelong learning and the acquisition of digital skills will be central to job creation, as it is estimated that between 26 and 38 percent of current jobs could be modified by generative artificial intelligence (AI), while between 2 and 5 percent are at risk of total automation, warns the United Nations (UN).
In a call to reduce the digital divide in Latin America and the Caribbean, it highlights that AI could transform up to half of jobs in the region and increase productivity, But existing gaps in digital infrastructure could hamper its potential advantages.
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A recent study, prepared by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Bank, highlights that at least four out of every 10 jobs that exist in the region will interact with AI, and while some jobs may disappear, many more will benefit.
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However, he stresses that despite the positive impact that AI could generate in the region’s labor market, the magnitude of the digital divide could prevent workers from fully reaping the potential benefits of generative AI
which could affect up to 50 percent of jobs, of which 7 million correspond to women and 10 million to men.
This inequality in access to basic digital infrastructure will affect those living in poverty the most, because although the study indicates that the possible benefits of AI in employment are more evenly distributed in terms of gender and age, are still more likely to affect formal jobs in urban areas, and are held by workers with higher education and incomes.
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Addressing the impacts of generative AI on the regional labour market, the document recognises, requires an inclusive social dialogue that brings together all parties involved, but also demands that states take urgent action.
These include implementing lifelong learning programs to mitigate job loss and improve productivity.
