A joint study by Professor Toshihiro Okubo of the Keio University Faculty of Economics and Professor Richard Baldwin of the Institute for Advanced International Studies and Development in Geneva has revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) and remote intelligence (RI) such as telework are not substitutes but complements. Something was suggested.
The novel coronavirus pandemic has been an exogenous shock that has induced an increase in RIs such as teleworkers.At the same time, the use of AI to promote business automation, typified by generative AI, is increasing through the use of digital technology.
The impact these will have on employment is a real concern, but it is not clear what kind of relationship AI and RI have.For example, if an AI-based chatbot replaces a call center worker in a remote location, the two can be said to be in a substitutive relationship. The two can be said to be complementary if they encourage people to take on work.
In this research, we will examine the ability of AI and RI to replace labor at the occupational level, based on a survey of approximately 1 employed workers, which has been continuously conducted by Toshihiro Okubo Laboratory and NIRA Research and Development Organization during the new coronavirus pandemic. The analysis was conducted using the collected survey data.
As a result, first, in the Japanese context, a positive correlation was confirmed between the usage status of software that promotes AI and RI.In particular, it was found that office workers and professionals have a high usage rate of software that promotes AI and RI.
Next, looking at changes in the usage of software that promotes AI and RI from March 2020 to June 3, we find that as the use of RI accelerated during the COVID-2022 pandemic, the use of AI also increased. Understood.Furthermore, it was confirmed that in occupations where there were many positive responses regarding the future use of RI, there were also many positive responses regarding the future use of AI.These results suggest that AI and RI are not in a substitute relationship but in a complementary relationship.
This report provides valuable insight into the future of work.Furthermore, in a comparison between Japan and the United States, it was also reported that Japanese occupations were less likely to use AI and RI than those in the United States.
Paper information:【The World Economy】Are Software Automation and Teleworkers Substitutes? Preliminary Evidence from Japan
