Measuring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics on the Workplace

Abstract

Abstract Understanding how AI and robotics impact the workplace is fundamental for understanding the broader impact of these technologies on the economy and society. It can also help in developing realistic scenarios about how jobs and skill demand will be redefined in the next decades and how education systems should evolve in response. This chapter provides a literature review of studies that aim at measuring the extent to which AI and robotics can automate work. The chapter presents five assessment approaches: 1) an approach that focuses on occupational tasks and analyzes whether these tasks can be automated; 2) an approach that draws on information from patents to assess computer capabilities; 3) indicators that use AI-related job postings as a proxy for AI deployment in firms; 4) measures relying on benchmarks from computer science; 5) and an approach that compares computer capabilities to human skills using standardized tests developed for humans. The chapter discusses the differences between these measurement approaches and assesses their strengths and weaknesses. It concludes by formulating recommendations for future work.