PARIS, France: The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has said that more than a quarter of all jobs rely on skills that could be easily automated by artificial intelligence (AI), and affected workers are in fear of losing their jobs.

The OECD’s 38 members are made up of mostly wealthy nations, but it also includes some emerging economies, such as Mexico and Estonia.

“There is currently little evidence that AI is having a significant impact on jobs, but that may be because the revolution is in its early stages,” according to a statement issued by the Paris-based organization.

Jobs with the highest risk of being automated make up 27 percent of the labour force, on average, in OECD countries, with eastern European countries most exposed, it noted in its 2023 Employment Outlook.

Jobs at highest risk are those using more than 25 of the 100 skills and abilities that AI experts say can be easily automated.

An OECD survey conducted last last year, which covered 5,300 workers in 2,000 firms spanning manufacturing and finance across seven member countries, showed that 60 percent of workers were worried about losing their jobs to AI over the next 10 years.

The survey was carried out before the launch of ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms.

Despite the concerns, two-thirds of workers already working with AI said it had made their jobs less dangerous or tedious.

During a news conference, OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann said, “How AI will ultimately impact workers in the workplace and whether the benefits will outweigh the risks, will depend on the policy actions we take.”

“Governments must help workers to prepare for the changes and benefit from the opportunities AI will bring about,” he added.

Minimum wages and collective bargaining could help ease the pressure that AI could put on wages, while governments and regulators need to ensure workers
rights are not compromised, the OECD said.