In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), concerns over job displacement have become more prevalent across various industries. The creative sector, in particular, has been grappling with the fear of losing livelihoods to AI-powered programs such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, commonly used in graphic design. Now, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of OpenAI, Mira Murati, has warned that AI technology could indeed cause job displacement within the creative industry.

During an interview at her alma mater, the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth University, Murati spoke about the possibility of certain creative jobs being eliminated by AI. She questioned the necessity of these jobs in the first place, suggesting that some may not have been essential. While she didn't specifically mention which creative jobs would be affected, her comment came amidst discussions about the entertainment industry, which has already experienced significant backlash from workers. Notably, screenwriters and actors went on strike in 2023 due to the use of AI in Hollywood.

The impact of AI on freelance workers has also started to emerge. Since the introduction of ChatGPT and similar technologies, platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr have seen a significant decline in the number of freelance jobs posted, dropping by up to 21%, according to a Wall Street Journal report. While Murati acknowledges the potential for AI to revolutionize creativity, she emphasizes the need for people to understand the capabilities and integrate these systems into their workflows to predict and forecast the forthcoming impact.

Although she acknowledges that AI is likely to lead to job displacement, Murati couldn't provide a definitive answer on the extent of its impact. She believes that AI will create new work opportunities alongside job losses, with jobs that are repetitive and lack creativity or problem-solving skills being the most susceptible to automation. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also expressed similar concerns about AI's impact on job displacement, stating unequivocally that jobs will inevitably be lost.

Other AI-focused executives are also warning about the potential disruptions AI could bring to the job market. Jeff Maggioncalda, the CEO of online learning platform Coursera, cites a statistic from the University of Pennsylvania indicating that 49% of workers could have at least half of their tasks exposed to large language models like ChatGPT. Such a high exposure rate, coupled with major shifts in job requirements, may put many jobs at risk, necessitating the reskilling of workers.

As the AI revolution continues to unfold, the creative industry and other sectors must prepare for the potential job displacement it may bring. While AI can enhance creativity and problem-solving capabilities, understanding and adapting to its impact on the job market will be crucial for workers to navigate this rapidly changing landscape.