AI & Future of Work speech for the EC DG RTD at the European Research & Innovation Days September 25 2019

1. HUMANS, AI & WORK
The Impact of AI on the World of Work
European Research & Innovation Days
Brussels, September 25th, 2019
George Tilesch, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Global Affairs, Ipsos

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SUMMARY
1. INITIAL CONSIDERATIONS
2. AI & AUTOMATION PERCEPTIONS
Workers on the Fence
3. AI IMPACT ON WORK
Present and Expectations from AI Users
4. AI TRAINING & EDUCATION
Preparing for an AI-driven world
5. AI & WORK FOR EUROPE
Final Conclusions
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Improved productivity
Saved costs
Unforeseen insight levels
But at what cost to the labour
market and society?
More jobs created through AI?
AI As Augmented Intelligence =
symbiotic work?
Devastation of job markets?
AI Age: People want paychecks,
purpose and protection
How can we ensure the
connectedness of policy, business
and the public interest with the
rapid commercialization in the AI
& Work domain?
Perceptions & Impact deep dive
CLEAR BUSINESS BENEFITS WHICH VISION WILL PREVAIL? DEEPER LOOK
AI/AUTOMATION IS NOT THE FUTURE OF WORK: IT IS HERE
Whose image it will take?

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Workers On the Fence
AI & AUTOMATION
PERCEPTIONS
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AI PUBLIC DISCOURSE: THE WIDENING GAP IN TRUST &
UNDERSTANDING
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Source: Ipsos/World Economic Forum joint survey, July 2019
There needs to be greater scrutiny of the use of artificial intelligence, according to
an IPSOS/WEF July 2019 poll of 20,000 people across 27 countries.
Public: AI Distrust, call for regulation, restrictions

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Transformational, with end impact undecided
50% says: automation
made my job completely
different in 10 years
Impact perceived is
mostly positive
Workers undecided
whether automation is
risky for their current jobs
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PERCEPTIONS OF AUTOMATION ON JOBS (IPSOS/WEF)
https://www.ipsos.com/en/how-automation-has-transformed-way-we-work

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There is broad public acceptance of automating technologies, but…
64% in China and 62% in India are positive
about the impact of automation technologies.
Only 22% in Germany and France and 23%
in Belgium share this positive outlook.
Three in ten say automation puts their
employment at risk.
This concern is highest among agricultural
workers (38%) and those in administrative
services (37%); it is less evident in
healthcare and social services (23%).
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OVERALL OPTIMISM BUT LARGE NATIONAL DIFFERENCES
https://www.ipsos.com/en/how-automation-has-transformed-way-we-work

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53% of people work where AI will be in deployment
within the next 2 years
Curiosity (60%) and concern (40%) are most prevalent
(top 2 reactions only)
In survey, EU countries are the
ones where workers are least
exposed to AI and where AI is
least likely to be rolled out within
the next 2 years
AI REVOLUTION AT WORK
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Study in 7 countries (Canada, China, France, Germany, Spain, UK, US, approx 7000 respondents) https://www.ipsos.com/en/revolution-ai-work
HAVE NO FEAR?

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Present & Future Expectations from AI users
AI IMPACT ON
WORK
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AI TOOLS DEPLOYMENT IS HAPPENING…

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The Now and Future outlooks: Big discrepancy
vs. US, China on the positive and Europe (UK,
Germany, Spain, esp. France less enthusiastic)
European workers have negative outlooks on AI
Impact on: salary, job security, hiring capacity
Exposure matters: Users of AI tools see both
greater benefits and bigger risks
Top Risks perceived are: increased
surveillance, job loss due to ”out-automation”
and dehumanized work.
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POSITIVE IMPACT PERCEIVED BY AI TOOLS USERS, BUT…
https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/documents/2018-06/revolution_of_ai_at_work-2018.pdf
For the greater good?

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HERE IS THE TITLE OF THE SLIDE

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Preparing for an AI-driven world:
Product & skills upgrades
AI TRAINING &
EDUCATION
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TITLE OF THE SLIDE
IN TWO LINES

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CONCLUSIONS
Food for thought for the EC & Europe
1. Novelty of AI: unlike previous waves it replaces workforce across
the board, in all sectors, at an asymmetric pace
2. Navigating the pathways of increased productivity vs. substitution
of human labour will be challenging
3. Pre-emptive action needed to steer potential exponential
inequalities
4. Re-education and re-training needs central public push across all
skill and education levels
5. Societal attitudes change combined with agile policymaking is key
to steer a beneficial AI Age for Work
6. The EU needs to build its own value-based model for the
Algorithmic Economy that both protects EU workers and
attracts talent globally

19. George TILESCH
Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer
Ipsos Global Affairs
George.tilesch@ipsos.com
@TheLastEuropean
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