Having gripes with your boss isn’t uncommon, but according to a new survey by Business Name Generator, 1 in 5 workers would actually prefer being managed by AI than their current boss, and think the technology would do a better job.
Reduced levels of favoritism, bias, and discrimination were some of the leading reasons employees would rather have an AI boss, with 22% claiming they would rather air frustrations with a robot than their current superior.
But managerial positions aren’t the only role on the line. As tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard pervade the workforce, a third of workers believe AI will take over the workplace soon anyway.
1 in 5 Workers Would Rather Be Managed By AI
Do you think a robot would do a better job than your boss? According to a recent survey by Business Name Generator, one-fifth of US and UK workers do, and would welcome an AI manager even if it meant waving goodbye to their current boss.
This decision is primarily driven by concerns about their superior’s current lack of empathy, failure to display appreciation, and favoriting of certain workers. The employees also cite poor management skills, bias, and unclear expectations as justifications – issues that lots of respondents believe AI would handle better.
“I don’t think the concept of bosses being replaced by AI is far off” – Cameron MacArthur, CEO of AI Insurance
For instance, 28.2% of US workers believe a robot manager would be better at making unbiased decisions than humans, while 28.8% think the technology would contribute to lower levels of discrimination.
As AI-powered tools continue to unlock valuable opportunities for businesses, concerns around the technology are no longer focused on whether AI will take our jobs, are more about what form this will take.
Data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas reveals that almost 4000 roles were replaced by the technology in May, while a total of 300 million full-time jobs are predicted to be displaced globally in the coming years, according to a report by investment banking company Goldman Sachs.
However, despite AI’s impressive competency, there will always be tasks its less capable of performing than humans — and workers agree.
40% of Workers Are Scared of Robot Bosses
While over a third (37%) of survey respondents left a previous job due to issues with a manager, the majority of the workforce isn’t pushing for AI to replace their superiors just yet. Four in five employees aren’t ready to be managed by ChatGPT equivalents, and 40% report that they’d be scared if their boss was replaced by AI.
Skepticism varied among genders and generations too, with 86% of women not being ready to dismiss human bosses, compared to 82% of men, and 88% of workers over 55 protesting the change, compared to around two-thirds of 18-24-year-olds.
But no matter which side of the debate you fall on, the looming impact of artificial intelligence on the job market is undeniable, with one in three respondents believing that robots will eventually take over the workforce.
These fears may be slightly overblown, but are not entirely invalid. Aside from managerial positions, we discuss which roles are the most vulnerable to AI takeover next.
What Jobs Are the Most at Risk From AI?
After speaking to AI experts, we found that entry-level admin roles like note-taking and proofreading are the most ‘at risk’ professions, closely followed by data entry clerks.
Despite their high levels of prestige, jobs that include software engineering and coding are also extremely vulnerable, especially as OpenAI currently works on Codex, a program designed to execute a wide range of coding tasks.
Customer service reps, paralegals, copywriters, and graphic designers also remain in danger, due to AIs’ ability to efficiently respond to customer queries, easily synthesize legal information, and create fluid, human-like content.
Check out our full list of at-risk roles.
