IMF: Half of jobs in developed Asia-Pacific economies will be affected by artificial intelligence

The International Monetary Fund recently published a blog post stating that the labor markets of economies in the Asia-Pacific region are likely to change due to the impact of artificial intelligence, and developed economies will be more affected. About half of the jobs in developed economies in the region are affected by artificial intelligence, while in emerging markets and developing economies, this proportion is only about a quarter.

The article states that more jobs in developed economies in the Asia-Pacific region will be supplemented by artificial intelligence, which means that the technology is likely to improve productivity rather than completely replace these jobs.

Rising inequality between countries

The article points out that the concentration of jobs supplemented by artificial intelligence in developed economies in Asia may gradually increase inequality between countries. About 40% of jobs in Singapore are considered highly complementary to artificial intelligence, while the proportion in Laos is only 3%.

The article also points out that artificial intelligence may also exacerbate inequality within a country. In the Asia-Pacific region, most workers at risk of unemployment are engaged in service, sales and clerical support jobs. At the same time, workers who are more likely to benefit from artificial intelligence usually hold management, professional and technical positions, which are often already high-paying positions.

The article states that women are more likely to be disrupted by artificial intelligence because they are more likely to work in service, sales and clerical jobs. In contrast, men account for a higher proportion of occupations that are unlikely to be affected by artificial intelligence at this stage. These occupations include farm workers, machine operators, and low-skilled entry-level workers.

Regulatory policies to address inequality

The study points out that building a sound social security system and carrying out professional skills reshaping for affected workers are the keys to achieving an inclusive transformation of artificial intelligence.

In order to regulate the application of artificial intelligence, relevant departments need to introduce regulatory policies to ensure that the use of technology complies with ethical standards and strengthen data security. This will not only reduce the potential risks caused by artificial intelligence, but also give full play to its role in promoting economic development and improving efficiency.