Part 5/11:
The impact of AI extends prominently into customer service and administrative roles, where chatbots and virtual assistants now handle routine inquiries. As a result, Stanford researchers have observed a 13% overall decline in jobs within these domains. These functions, traditionally considered entry-level, are highly susceptible to automation, further squeezing out younger, less experienced workers.
Eric Brynholfsson describes AI’s influence as the fastest and broadest change seen outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, which itself caused widespread disruption across industries. The comparison underscores the scale and immediacy of AI’s impact—an upheaval on par with, or exceeding, one of the most significant societal crises in recent history.