Lesson Plan: AI and Employment – Echoes of the Past or a New Paradigm?

In an article from VentureBeat, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on employment is explored, drawing parallels with past technological revolutions while highlighting the unique challenges AI presents. The article discusses AI’s potential to create and displace jobs, emphasizing that its ability to outsource cognitive tasks introduces unprecedented complexity. It examines the dual forces of technological acceleration and the push for AI safety, suggesting that the future of work will involve a mix of augmentation and displacement, with new roles emerging alongside the automation of traditional jobs. Questions to consider include: How might AI reshape the job market, and what strategies could be employed to mitigate negative effects? What lessons can we learn from historical and technological changes, and how might AI present unique challenges? How should society balance the benefits of AI with the potential risks to employment and privacy? Source. VentureBeat

Lesson Objectives

• Understand the potential impacts of AI on employment.
• Analyze historical parallels and differences with current AI advancements.
• Reflect on the ethical and societal implications of AI in the workforce.
• Engage in cooperative learning to explore various perspectives on AI’s impact.

Introduction

• Provide a concise overview of AI and its role in technological revolutions’ historical framework.
• Discuss the article’s main points, emphasizing the potential for both job creation and displacement. The article is found here. Venturebeat

Reflection Tasks

• Individual Reflection: Ask students to write a short paragraph on how AI might impact their future career aspirations. Please encourage them to consider both positive and negative aspects.
• Group Discussion: In small groups, have students share their reflections and discuss common themes or concerns. Use guiding questions such as:
  • What are the potential benefits of AI in the workforce?
  • What challenges do you foresee with AI integration in various industries?

In-Depth Tasks

• Provide students with links to additional resources mentioned in the article for further exploration. Assign tasks such as:
  • Research and present on a new job role created by AI (e.g., AI orchestrator, AI compliance officer).
  • Investigate a case study of AI’s impact on a specific industry (e.g., call centers, financial services).

Here are some additional resources mentioned in the article that students can explore for further understanding of AI’s impact on employment:

1. How Will Artificial Intelligence Affect Jobs 2024-2030 – This article discusses the potential for AI to replace a significant number of full-time jobs, according to a report by Goldman Sachs.
2. Can we please stop talking about replacing employees with AI? – This piece focuses on how AI is enhancing workforce efficiency and giving employees more time by automating specific tasks Ventruebeat.
3. AI’s Impact on Jobs and Work Is a Choice Between Two Futures – This article explores the dual potential outcomes of AI advancements: eliminating many routine jobs or creating new opportunities. Standfordsocial

Gallery Tour: Exploring AI’s Impact on Jobs

Objective:

To engage students in exploring diverse perspectives on how artificial intelligence will affect jobs from 2024 to 2030, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and presentation skills.

1. Preparation:
   • Select key excerpts or summaries from the three articles:
     • How Will Artificial Intelligence Affect Jobs 2024-2030 (Goldman Sachs report)
     • Can We Please Stop Talking About Replacing Employees with AI? (VentureBeat)
     • AI’s Impact on Jobs and Work Is a Choice Between Two Futures (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
   • Print and display these excerpts around the classroom as “stations.” See excerps below.
2. Roles:
   • Assign roles within each group to ensure active participation:
     • Facilitator: Leads the group and encourages discussion.
     • Note-Taker: Records key points and insights.
     • Presenter: Share group findings with the class.
     • Observer: Provides feedback on group dynamics and presentation style.
     • Timekeeper: Keeps track of time spent at each station.
3. Materials:
   • Provide each group with a graphic organizer to note their observations and insights at each station. See below
   • Prepare a list of guiding questions to help focus their analysis (e.g., “What are the potential positive and negative impacts of AI on jobs?” “How do the articles differ in their perspectives?”).

Activity Procedure:

1. Introduction:
   • Briefly introduce the topic and explain the gallery walk process.
   • Discuss the importance of understanding different perspectives on AI’s impact on employment.
2. Gallery Walk:
   • Groups rotate through each station, spending a set amount of time (e.g., 5-7 minutes) at each one.
   • At each station, groups read the excerpt, discuss the content, and answer the guiding questions.
   • Note-takers record the group’s insights on the graphic organizer.
3. Group Presentation:
   • After visiting all stations, groups prepare a brief presentation summarizing their findings and perspectives.
   • Presenters share the group’s insights with the class, highlighting key points and differences between articles.
4. Class Debrief:
   • Facilitate a class discussion to synthesize the information gathered.
   • Discuss the varying perspectives on AI’s impact and explore students’ views on the future of work.

1. How Will Artificial Intelligence Affect Jobs 2024-2030 (Goldman Sachs Report)

• Job Replacement and Creation: AI could potentially replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs globally, affecting about a quarter of work tasks in the US and Europe. However, it may also lead to new job opportunities and a productivity boom, potentially increasing the global GDP by 7%
• Vulnerable Occupations: Occupations most likely to be automated include customer service representatives, receptionists, and accountants/bookkeepers.
• Economic Impact: While AI poses a significant risk to specific jobs, it is also expected to complement many roles rather than completely substitute them. Historically, technological advancements have led to the creation of new job categories, which could offset job losses caused by AI.

2. Can We Please Stop Talking About Replacing Employees with AI? (VentureBeat)

• Enhancing Efficiency: The article emphasizes AI’s role in enhancing workforce efficiency by automating repetitive tasks, thus allowing employees to focus on more complex and creative work.
• Time Management: By automating certain tasks, AI provides employees with more time to engage in strategic thinking and innovation, improving overall productivity.
• Positive Outlook: The focus is on the potential for AI to augment human capabilities rather than replace them, suggesting a collaborative future where AI tools support rather than supplant the workforce.

3. AI’s Impact on Jobs and Work Is a Choice Between Two Futures (Stanford Social Innovation Review)

• Dual Outcomes: The article explores two potential futures with AI: one in which many routine jobs are eliminated and another in which AI creates new opportunities by transforming job roles and industries.
• Societal Choices: AI’s impact on jobs largely depends on societal choices and policy decisions, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures to harness AI’s benefits while mitigating its risks.
• New Opportunities: AI has the potential to create new sectors and job roles, leading to a reallocation of labor and the emergence of new industries, which could offset job losses in traditional sectors.

Here’s a graphic organizer template that you can provide to each group for noting their observations and insights during the gallery walk:

Instructions for Use:

• Station Name: Write the name or number of the station you visit.
• Key Insights: Note the central ideas or important points you gather from the station.
• Questions: List any questions that arise while reviewing the material.
• Further Thoughts: Record additional thoughts, reflections, or connections to other knowledge.

Conclusion

• Summarize key takeaways from the lesson.
• Discuss the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in the face of technological change.

Essay Questions

1. Analyze the potential long-term impacts of AI on employment. How might AI reshape the job market, and what strategies could mitigate negative effects?
2. Compare and contrast the current AI revolution with past technological changes. What lessons can we learn from history, and how might AI present unique challenges?
3. Discuss the ethical implications of AI in the workforce. How should society balance the benefits of AI with the potential risks to employment and privacy?