Over 80 percent of workers don't believe AI can replace them

Could AI one day make your job obsolete? 81 percent of respondents to a new survey don't believe so.

The study of almost 1,200 UK office workers by ID Crypt Global finds that while 95 percent have heard of AI, 94 percent are doing nothing to prepare for the eventuality of AI replacing them in the workplace, such as learning new skills or looking for new industries to work in.

When asked whether the use of AI in the workplace is a positive step, opinion is split with 45 percent saying 'yes' and 55 percent responding 'no'. In terms of the broader effect on society, 47 percent fall on the side of 'harm', 36 percent say it will be a benefit, and 17 percent remain unsure either way.

CEO and founder of ID Crypt Global, Lauren Wilson-Smith, says:

It's worrying that so many people remain unconvinced that AI is going to disrupt their lives. At this point, it's clear that AI is going to become a dominant force in society, not least in the workplace.

There are certain jobs that AI is going to be able to execute to a far higher level than any human can, and do it in a much faster and cheaper way. We live in a capitalist world and industry leaders are not going to be able to resist the benefits of replacing people with machines.

The lack of concern demonstrated in these survey results suggest that we need increased awareness about what's happening. Perhaps the government should be making efforts to educate the population about all the things that are going to change in the next 2-5 years alone. AI's progress is going to be swift and transformational.

So while plenty of experts are having detailed debates around how we keep a handle on AI and avoid it spiraling out of control, less is being done to help the general population improve their awareness and thus prepare themselves for this huge moment in human innovation and evolution.

If there should come a time when lots of people are losing their jobs to AI, 52 percent of respondents believe that their employer and the government share responsibility for re-training them to take on new jobs that AI has not disrupted. 18 percent say the responsibility should lie only with employers; 16 percent say it's the job of government; and 14 percent say it's up to each individual to ensure they are future-proofing themselves against the rise of technology.

The full survey results are available as a Google Docs spreadsheet.

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