Generative AI technology is poised to significantly impact the Australian workforce by automating routine and repetitive tasks, potentially displacing 1.3 million jobs in the next four years. Sectors like retail and food services are among the most affected, while roles involving manual labour are less likely to be impacted.
Generative AI Set to Transform Australian Workforce
Generative AI technology is poised to significantly impact the Australian workforce, according to experts. This technology performs tasks traditionally done by humans, such as speaking and writing in particular languages, and is geared toward replacing routine and repetitive jobs.
Associate Professor Niusha Shafiabady from Charles Darwin University’s Faculty of Science and Technology highlighted that sectors such as retail, food services, and office support will be among the first affected. Research by workplace technology firm Service Now indicates that 1.3 million jobs in Australia could be automated within the next four years.
Specific roles at risk include secretaries, clerical staff, bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, data entry, call center employees, and GP receptionists. The World Economic Forum forecasts a decrease of 26 million administrative roles worldwide by 2027.
The retail sector is expected to see nearly a quarter of its jobs replaced by AI, potentially displacing 323,000 full-time workers in Australia by 2027. In the food services industry, AI technology is already prevalent, with systems like food delivery apps contributing to a $44 billion revenue boost in 2021. McKinsey data shows that 13% of workers in this sector had to find new jobs due to automation in 2022.
Conversely, jobs involving manual labor, such as those in construction, are less likely to be affected by AI. Roles in bricklaying, painting, and machine operation remain secure due to the high cost of developing and maintaining AI systems for these tasks, as confirmed by the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Survey 2023.
As AI becomes more integrated into various industries, sectors like data science and software engineering are experiencing increased demand for skilled professionals.
