AI impact on employment still limited
Occupational mix is shifting only slightly faster than in past periods of technological change.
A new study by Yale’s Budget Lab suggests AI has yet to cause major disruption in the US labour market. Researchers found little evidence that generative AI has significantly altered employment patterns since the launch of ChatGPT nearly three years ago.
The report shows that the mix of occupations has shifted slightly faster than in previous periods, but not dramatically. Many of the changes appear to have begun before generative AI became widely available, suggesting broader economic trends are at play.
US based industry-level analysis revealed more noticeable shifts in information and financial services. Yet these changes, too, reflect longer-term developments rather than sudden AI-driven disruption. Overall, employment and unemployment levels show no clear link to AI exposure or adoption.
The researchers stress that impacts may take longer to materialise, as seen with past technologies such as computers and the internet. They call for better data from AI developers and continued monitoring to capture longer-term effects on workers.
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