When OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT in late 2023, generative AI was initially seen as a tool for creating artistic works like poems and images. However, as more companies adopt this technology for practical business applications, its potential for automating human tasks is becoming increasingly evident.
With companies announcing job cuts or a freeze on hiring as part of their genAI strategy, concerns about AI replacing human jobs are on the rise, especially in countries where AI is heavily utilized, the economy is weak, and employee rights are not well protected.
According to a study by the email verification service Zerobounce, the United States ranks highest globally for AI job anxiety, followed by Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Americans show the greatest concern with a population-adjusted search volume of 440,000 queries related to AI job loss, despite having a moderately positive attitude towards AI at 54.5%.
In Mexico, there is also a high level of concern about job loss due to AI, even though the attitude towards AI is relatively positive at 75%. The study interprets the 120,600 search queries on this topic as a sign of significant worry among employees in a country where technological infrastructure is still developing.
Germany ranks 7th in the global comparison, ahead of its European counterparts like the Netherlands, France, and Spain. While Germans have a relatively positive attitude towards AI, the search volume for queries related to job loss due to AI is relatively high at 35,000.
Zerobounce conducted the study by analyzing search volume data for terms related to AI job loss and the percentage of positive opinions on AI in major economies to calculate the AI fear index.
This article was originally published on Computerworld Germany and highlights the growing concerns about AI job loss worldwide, with different countries showing varying levels of anxiety despite their attitudes towards AI.
