According to a recent report from McKinsey, low-wage positions in the food industry and customer service are at the highest risk of being replaced by generative AI technology by 2030. Kweilin Ellingrud, the director of the McKinsey Global Institute, stated that jobs earning less than $38, 000 annually are 14 times more likely to be eliminated by this technology compared to other job types. Ellingrud noted that jobs that used to involve in-person and physical interaction are transitioning to online and remote formats. Delivery jobs are also becoming more prevalent. Fast food kiosks are expected to replace these positions, resulting in fewer employees required to operate a single site. Customer service operations may experience a transformation as AI-powered chatbots provide personalized responses to complex customer queries. Generative AI technology can retrieve customer data quickly, making it more efficient than human sales representatives. It's not only low-wage jobs that are impacted; the report suggests that activities accounting for 30% of working hours in the United States could be automated by 2030. This could require approximately 12 million workers in shrinking professions to shift to different roles within the next seven years. The COVID-19 pandemic has already prompted around 9 million job transitions, which is 50% higher than the pre-pandemic rate. Higher-wage jobs that typically require a college degree will also be influenced by AI, but these roles are less likely to be fully automated or eliminated. Fields such as STEM, creative industries, business, and the legal profession will undergo changes.

For example, a graphic designer could use AI to generate an initial draft more efficiently, allowing them to focus their time on specialized skills. Nurses might spend less time inputting medication data into computers and more time with patients. Ellingrud believes that many jobs will become more meaningful, enabling individuals to concentrate on tasks that align with their training and unique abilities. While generative AI technology enhances productivity for skilled workers, employees will need to adapt by acquiring new skills. Reskilling will be necessary to keep up with these changes and continue learning new things. Ellingrud emphasizes the importance of technological skills, which involve interaction with emerging technologies without necessarily needing coding knowledge. Social and emotional skills will also be in demand, including empathy and the ability to genuinely respond to human reactions. These skills are crucial because machines and AI cannot replicate them effectively. In summary, the McKinsey report highlights the potential impact of generative AI on various sectors of the job market. Low-wage jobs in the food industry and customer service are particularly at risk, but even higher-wage roles will undergo alterations. Adaptation through reskilling will be essential, with technological and social and emotional skills playing vital roles in the workforce of the future.