The Future of Industry and Employment : COVID-19 Effects Exacerbate the March of Artificial Intelligence

Before the COVID-19 public health crisis, many industries and occupations were experiencing transformational pressure as the economy shifts toward a largely digital landscape. In previous studies on this subject, the estimated impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced computer technologies (ACT) on industries and occupations have varied widely based on study methodology and country—but almost all analyses point to substantial disruption in labor markets due to AI.1 Intuitively, occupations that are at the highest risk for either elimination or substantial changes in required skills are those characterized by routine tasks that do not require complex decision making.In Georgia, similar patterns of at-risk jobs are expected. Bluestone (2020) and Chike and Wallace (2020) estimate that approximately 50 percent of jobs in Georgia are at risk because of ACT. The vast majority of these jobs are among relatively low-paid occupations in Georgia and across the nation