How to Adapt and Not Fear the AI Revolution at Work

The industrial revolution, the adoption of the assembly line, the rise of organized labor and the availability of the internet are examples of innovations that ushered in new eras of human history. Many people predict the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) will join those moments.

Headlines about generative AI, which can create content like stories and images on its own, warn that the technology could displace large numbers of workers by automating their jobs. "Displace" does not mean "eliminate," though. The key is to adapt to new technology before your career becomes its victim.

Will Generative AI Kill Jobs?

Roughly a quarter of jobs in the U.S. and Europe will likely be affected by generative AI, according to research published in March by Goldman Sachs .The report also projects that 18% of all jobs could be automated by AI — with the technology affecting more jobs in larger economies.

Those numbers may suggest doom and gloom for many people who will seemingly be out of work, the paper highlights additional research showing that most people are currently working in jobs that didn't exist in 1940. They add that new technology can be credited with 85% of the employment growth that has happened over the past 80 years.

In other words, new technology has historically created many more jobs over time than the amount eliminated or automated.?

Will Generative AI Kill Your Job?

While there is no way to know if generative AI will affect your specific job, research offers insight into which industries will face the most disruption.

The Goldman Sachs report that I mentioned above says that the top five U.S. professions seeing the most workers affected by AI will be:

• Office and Administrative Support: 46%
• Legal: 44%
• Architecture and Engineering: 37%
• Life, Physical and Social Science: 36%
• Business and Financial Operations: 35%

Meanwhile, the three professions expected to see the fewest workers affected by AI are:

• Construction and Extraction: 6%
• Installation, Maintenance and Repair: 4%
• Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance: 1%

How Can You Adapt Before It's Too Late?

"You need to be proactively building yourself for change before the change comes," Jason Feifer , who is Entrepreneur Magazine Editor-in-Chief, told me in 2022 when we were discussing his book — Build for Tomorrow — on my weekly podcast .

The question is how do you go about building yourself for change before generative AI actively disrupts your industry, profession and role?

There are courses you can use to familiarize yourself with generative AI and how to best interact with the technology. Some of those can be found on LinkedIn Learning , including this learning path .

One of the best ways to prepare yourself for change is to experiment with the technology, though. Your experimentation will differ depending on your role and what you believe it can help with in your work.

To learn what others are doing to experiment with AI, I asked LinkedIn members to hear about their experiences. While I can't highlight all of them, you can take a look for yourself by clicking here .

"I've been playing around with ChatGPT for some time now, working to improve my prompts so I can guide it to deliver more specific, tailored material, data, information and results that are most helpful for my particular needs in running my coaching/consulting business and developing new products," writes Kathy Caprino , who is a career and leadership coach.

Caprino writes that the results from the AI improve as she learns how to better "prompt" the technology.

While ChatGPT is one of the most well-known generative AI brands, Coreyne Woodman Holoubek , who is a LinkedIn Top Voice and founder of ProgressiveHR, writes that she has been experimenting with a number of AI services.

"On the recent ClubHealth webinar we used Zync AI to create digital assets - infographics representing the polls we took during the webinar and edutainment clips from the webinar," she writes. "I've experimented with Gloss AI to create blogs and executive summaries for some of the Progressive HR Lives that have streamed on LinkedIn. As well, I've experimented with ChatGPT to help me organize my thoughts when I creating written content."

Adam Broda , who is founder of Broda Coaching, writes that he has integrated AI into many aspects of his coaching business.

"I use AI tools to help clients generate headshots, write cover letters, create resume bullets, and optimize their entire job search process," he writes . "It's been a game-changer for us."

While there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to take toward learning to use AI, experimenting with the technology is relatively low-risk. Obviously, it's important to be mindful of what you share with any entity. Using common sense approaches to online privacy is always good practice.

Taking initial steps toward familiarizing yourself with AI and learning to harness its power will hopefully pay dividends in the future. The key is to view the technology as a tool — not a replacement.

Have you experimented with AI yet? If so, tell us in the comments on this post .

• Where to look for great employee experiences (By Todd Dybas ) Finding an employer that delivers a great employee experience is one of the biggest challenges during a job hunt. Growth evangelist Tiffani Bova says mutual trust, C-Suite accountability, alignment of employee values and company vision, recognizing success and seamless technology create the basis for an outstanding employee experience. Bova suggests companies received a jolt from the pandemic and Great Reshuffle, leading them to re-evaluate how they treat, retain and hire employees. "What began as a wakeup call for how leaders can save their companies from a talent exodus can also be an opportunity for growth and competitiveness," she writes. Click here to learn more .
• Why are most workers looking to make a change? (By Todd Dybas ) Workers want to do something else. That's according to a recent survey that showed 58% of respondents are looking for a career change right now. In addition, 42% said they are debating whether to quit their job. HR Dive notes priorities like remote work, better pay or a search for more meaning at work driving the preferences for a shift. Last year's FlexJobs survey showed different keys more focused on benefits and stability. Though hiring has slowed recently , the labor market remains tight. Click here to find out more .
• What is the downside to "quiet quitting?" (By Todd Dybas ) After his viral TikTok about 'quiet quitting' pushed a phrase into pop culture and modernized an old idea, Zaid Khan tested his theory of doing the minimum at work. Then quit. He now tells Insider the approach is not the right one. When he began to work less, co-workers noticed, then became frustrated. He also felt anxious that his slacking could be discovered while wondering what direction he was creating for himself. His biggest takeaway? "Poor management is truly to blame for disengaged employees," Khan, 25, told Insider. Click here to see what others are saying .

Next up in LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky 's new series: Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor . In addition to Everette's inspiring path to the C-suite, he explains how he used empathy as a strength in the world of business. Be sure to check out Ryan’s interview with Everette below. Also, be sure to subscribe to Ryan’s newsletter by clicking here .

The workplace can be a stressful place as you handle your work, personal life and the annoyances that come from your coworkers. This LinkedIn Learning course teaches you how to manage some of that workplace stress. You can watch it below or by clicking here .?