For the first time, a digital model of the labor of 151 million people has been created, which helps reveal the actual potential of artificial intelligence in replacing human work at the level of specific occupations.
Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) indicates that current artificial intelligence technologies can perform the work done by about 11.7% of employees. Since the US labor market comprises approximately 151 million people, this means AI is already able to assume responsibilities for which workers are currently paid about $1.2 trillion annually.
Based on an innovative tool called the Iceberg Index, scientists have created a digital replica of the nation’s entire labor system. Each of the 151 million workers is represented as a unique agent with a set of skills and tasks, assigned to a specific profession and geographic area. In total, the index covers over 32 thousand skills and 923 occupations across 3 thousand American counties.
The Iceberg Index not only allows understanding precisely where and what kinds of jobs are being automated first, but also aids in creating development scenarios for authorities and companies. This approach enables preparation for upcoming shifts through retraining plans and adjustment of working strategies. For example, the states of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Utah are already using simulation data to design local adaptation and worker support programs.
Importantly, the study refutes the myth that artificial intelligence’s impact is limited only to technological metropolises. Automation affects a wide variety of sectors—from finance and healthcare to logistics and human resources administration—and spreads across the entire nation, including inland and rural territories. Given these transformations, Iceberg helps to preemptively assess potential economic outcomes and formulate appropriate measures.
This research is not simply an assessment of the threat of robotization, but a detailed analysis illustrating precisely how AI is already influencing the job market and assisting policymakers and businesses in making informed decisions.
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