The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenIA) in the labor market has the potential to exacerbate development differences between countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). A new report from the entity indicates that the proportion of jobs exposed to this technology is higher in urban areas. However, these areas will also benefit the most in terms of productivity. In contrast, the document suggests that the phenomenon could have an opposite impact in rural territories.
The report titled ‘Job creation and local economic development 2024′ explains that a worker is considered exposed to generative AI when at least 20% of their tasks are capable of being optimized by 50% or more thanks to this technology. If the proportion of activities reaches half, the susceptibility level is classified as high.
The document indicates that around 26% of workers in OECD countries are exposed to GenIA. The authors predict that, in the near future, the creation of new software Intelligent technologies will increase the number of employees highly exposed to these advances. The indicator will range between 16 and 77%, with clear geographical disparities.
“Unlike previous automation solutions, generative AI excels at performing cognitive and non-routine tasks. This modifies the exposure of the regional labor market. Areas with industries related to education, information and communication technologies or finance are the most committed,” he adds.
The OECD estimates that GenIA impacts 32% of workers in large cities, while in rural areas the figure is reduced to 21%. This finding means that areas previously considered low risk of automation now experience greater influence from generative AI. Previous mechanization systems mainly affected non-metropolitan provinces with activities based on manufacturing and low-skilled labor. Platforms like ChatGPT or Gemini are disrupting higher-skilled occupations, mainly in metropolises.
AI is not causing massive job losses
The analysis emphasizes that this trend does not lead to widespread job losses. On the contrary, he points out that GenIA-related automation can accelerate productivity. A 10% increase in automation with generative AI could raise work performance by 5.6%, according to the report.
Despite this, researchers acknowledge that automation appears to have directly contributed to the decline in work in some places. “Although the creation of new vacancies exceeded the losses in most countries, the emerging positions may not have benefited the workers who became unemployed,” they warn.
The report concludes that generative AI-based tools are a key instrument to address persistent challenges such as labor shortages, low productivity rates and the effects of the aging of the economically active population. It emphasizes that providing access and training around these resources can empower populations traditionally marginalized in the labor market, such as people with disabilities or low-skilled workers.
The OECD highlights the importance of establishing collaborative alliances between the public sector, the private sector and social agents to ensure a fair transition to an AI-driven economy. This effort will make it possible to identify the needs of each region and design adaptation and adoption mechanisms that respect labor rights.
#Generative #impact #jobs #urban #areas #OECD
