AI Can Only Do 5% of Jobs: MIT Economist Fears Crash

MIT Professor of Economics Daron Acemoglu is not so sure that AI can deliver on the promise of an economic revolution. He wants to make clear that he gets the potential of AI, but by his calculation, only a small percent of all jobs — a mere 5% — is ripe to be taken over, or at least heavily aided, by AI over the next decade. He joins Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow on "Bloomberg Technology."
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[merkur]

What he said is what any random dude on the street would say. I'd expect much more from a MIT professor.

[stephenmather]

this will be remembered the same way as krugman's claim that the internet won't impact the economy

[wryltxw]

Clearly economist will be replaced by AI. Proof in video.

[HRaychin]

dont know who this person is but AI can do his job for sure.

[tadmarshall]

I have "smart assistants" made by Amazon and Google and neither can answer questions like "what time is tonight's presidential debate?". AI may be magnificent in time, today not so much.

[silviyabozhilova]

100% agree with the Professor. AI is totally overrated and it’s highly dependant on the info one inputs, one has to keep constantly feeding it with info in order to create something new, nothing can beat human creativity, AI is a dead monster that relies on being constantly fed in order to exist.

[stefano]

Asking an economist about Ai is like asking an astrophysicist about pancreatic cancer. He may be smart but it’s obvious to anyone working in Ai research that he barely knows what he’s talking about. I read research papers every day and even I won’t say I know where or when Ai will happen. Those who don’t know talk like they know and those who really do know are more cautious.

[manonamission]

Some of the publicly available large language models cannot even count the number of Rs in the word "strawberry"... and recall, these are *language* models... they are based on language, so their practical application is limited by design.

Also, AI should not be conflated with automation... two completely different concepts.

[thinking]

This professor is absolutely clueless. You could replace him teaching with a LLM now.

AI carpenter, what is this bloke talking about?

[mr.ridiculous]

We are literally in a nationwide Port strike because automation and AI is taking all their jobs

[dustybeardall]

AI is actually making some people worse at their jobs. For example when I get an email that says-- "I hope this finds you well"-- I want to barf.

[JimBarcelona]

Only 5% of businesses had e-commerce site, and only 20% had a website in 1998. This guy is not that smart and doesn't know how to extrapolate from the history of the web and the smart phone.

[rashid.noorani]

Which 5% jobs AI will take over? No one cared to ask him!!!

[mozerland]

Only Do 5% of Job?? That's simply stupid

[ClaudiaS]

I talked to two doctors today, they are exited that AI is writing the discharge summery for patients leaving the hospital.

[HaiLeQuang]

My boss can do 1% of my job but he took 50% of company bonus

[CaptainReedo]

A.I. would be great at an AGI deciding to control all global military and global defense capabilities. :)

[guerillachan]

AI is huge hype tired of exaggerated claims.

[TheGuillotineKing]

If AI does nothing but solve customer service then that's all we need

[jalengonel]

When it comes to administrative white collar, it can make AT LEAST make 1 person able to do the work of 2. That’s > 1/3 of many sectors being made redundant without affect to company processes.

I think eventually we’ll adapt but the near term 5% is at least closer to 15%.