How AI Could Impact Jobs and Wages Across Industries

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the nature of work across many sectors. While some fear it may automate away jobs, the impact may be more nuanced. Here's how AI is already affecting - and could continue to reshape - jobs and wages in key industries like translation, customer service, and sales.

AI Makes Translating Faster and Cheaper

In translation, AI has already made a huge impact. Many translators now use AI tools to generate a rough first draft, which they then edit into polished, fluent translations. This has opened up translation work to more people by making it faster and cheaper. However, it has also lowered pay rates for human editors.

Overall translation demand is rising though, as more businesses expand globally. More work is available, just at lower rates. The translator workforce has grown, but wages have dipped slightly. AI looks set to transform the skills needed, as fluency becomes less important than editing ability.

AI Assistants Are Boosting Customer Service Agents

Automating customer service with AI remains tricky. But some firms are using AI tools to help lower-skilled agents improve. For example, providing real-time AI suggestions during calls has been found to boost productivity of less-skilled agents by 35%.

So while AI may not yet replace humans here, it can enhance them, especially weaker performers. This could make customer service jobs more accessible to the less skilled. But it may also pressure out lower productivity staff over time.

AI Turns Top Salespeople into "Superstars"

In sales, AI could create an elite of sales "superstars." Tools that analyze calls to find what works, or auto-dial leads, make top salespeople far more productive. This lets them pull away from lower-performing peers.

It also risks squeezing out weaker staff over time. As superstars sell more, bosses may raise performance targets. Those unable to meet growing expectations could be pushed out. AI may reduce sales hiring needs through improved productivity, rather than mass firings.

AI Will Transform Jobs, But New Roles Will Emerge

While AI will reshape roles across sectors, from writing to call centers, it should also create new jobs too. The key factors are productivity gains from AI, and how much extra demand for workers follows.

So far, AI shows potential for major efficiency gains in some industries. But the inequality impacts remain hazy. For now it seems AI will boost high-flyers over stragglers across many fields. But new opportunities will also surely emerge. The future of work with AI is still unfolding.