Generative AI Is Already Changing White-Collar Work as We Know It
As ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence programs infiltrate workplaces, white-collar jobs are transforming the fastest.
That professional and office work is changing so fast is according to a panel of executives who addressed thousands of professionals and job seekers at Tuesday’s WSJ Jobs Summit. The biggest workplace challenge so far this year across industries is how to adapt to the rapidly evolving role of AI in office work, they say.
“AI is the next revolution and there is no going back,” Melissa Werneck, executive vice president and global chief people officer at Kraft Heinz Co. said.
As long as artificial intelligence has existed, so have the predictions that it could disrupt—and someday replace—blue-collar work. Now, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and OpenAI, most jobs will be changed in some form by generative pretrained transformers, or GPTs, which use machine learning based on internet data to generate any kind of text, from creative writing to code.
Many executives and analysts said that transformation is already taking shape, and workers can find ways to use the ChatGPT and other new technology to free them from boring work.
“Every month there are hundreds more job postings mentioning generative AI,” said Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter Inc., an online marketplace for job seekers and employers.
Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda at the WSJ Jobs Summit.PHOTO: THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Be willing to adapt and learn
One thing leaders from sectors including retail, e-learning and consumer packaged goods agreed on is this moment’s level of uncertainty.
Several executives mentioned inflation, political tensions and fears of a potential recession that continue to mount. Jeff Maggioncalda, chief executive of Coursera Inc., said that amid all the chaos, there are opportunities to improve the workforce.
“The way things have been done in the past aren’t necessarily the way they need to be done today,” he said, adding that workers and employers should invest in retraining and upskilling where possible.
People who are willing to experiment should come out ahead, said Ms. Pollak.
“There is an enormous demand for people who are tech-savvy and who will be the first adopters, who will be the first to figure out what opportunities these technologies open up,” she said.
Work with AI, not against it
The jobs of the future will require a mind-set shift for employees, several executives said. Rather than viewing generative AI and other machine-learning software as a threat, workers should embrace new technology as a way to free them from less-rewarding work and augment their strengths.
“The level by which we can all operate will be enhanced by virtue of technology,” said Donna Morris, Walmart Inc.’s chief people officer. “This is a huge opportunity to advance a lot of professions—allow people to do work that’s, frankly, more stimulating.”
Malaika Myers, Hyatt Hotels Corp.’s chief human-resources officer, said she doesn’t see AI replacing workers soon, but expects it to better serve and engage consumers. For the hotel chain, that could look like using AI to determine which brand of wine a guest likes, and adjusting recommendations accordingly.
United Airlines Holdings Inc., aims to use AI to do transactions that shouldn’t require a human, such as placing someone in an aisle or window seat depending on their preference, or suggesting a different flight for someone trying to book a tight connection, said Kate Gebo, executive vice president of human resources and labor relations. That leaves employees free to have more complex interactions with customers, she added. Advertisement - Scroll to Continue
Sima Sistani, CEO of WeightWatchers parent company WW International, at the WSJ Jobs Summit.PHOTO: THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
AI can’t do everything
Workers—and bosses—would be wise to remember that AI can’t replace a human touch, several executives stressed.
Sima Sistani, CEO of WeightWatchers parent company WW International Inc., said services intended to help customers solve emotional problems require solutions a machine can’t provide.
“AI is not sentient. It can’t be emotional. And that is the kind of accountability and reciprocity that is needed…for people to have the outcomes that we’re hoping to provide,” she said of the weight-loss and lifestyle company.
Ms. Werneck of Kraft Heinz said that what is keeping her up at night is figuring out how AI can be co-piloted by talented people, instead of becoming something that runs on autopilot, replacing people.
“My advice is be curious, research it, try to understand how it can be used,” she said.
At Yelp Inc., employees are experimenting through internal pilot projects to see what ChatGPT could be used for, without eroding trust with consumers and employees.
“Certain business processes could be enhanced,” said Carmen Whitney Orr, Yelp’s chief people officer, adding that there are plenty of concerns, too. “We don’t want it for high human-touch things.”
Write to Gretchen Tarrant at gretchen.tarrant@wsj.com
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