Last updated:January 6, 2025, 12:21 IST
A PhD student at MIT found that the majority of workers who use AI in their daily tasks are not satisfied.
This study reminds us of the drawbacks that employers may face. (Representative image)
The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) is now inevitable across various industries. While there is no doubt that workplace productivity has increased, the impact on employees is becoming increasingly clear. While AI initially raised concerns about the potential for mass job losses, others were optimistic, believing it would open the door to new opportunities. However, recent research highlights that it can have a negative impact on employees.
In his research, a doctoral student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that the majority of workers who use AI in their daily tasks are dissatisfied. He evaluated the impact of AI tools on 1,018 scientists working in a large research and development laboratory based in the United States.
Analyzing data from May 2022, researcher Aiden Toner-Rogers found that AI increased the development of new products by almost 17 percent. However, more than 80% of workers report that their job satisfaction has decreased.
“Perhaps the most exciting thing about AI is its potential to accelerate scientific discovery and innovation. That would be a huge advantage,” Rogers told The Wall Street Journal. Scientists were able to generate a variety of “recipes” for unique compounds, but AI was credited with “57 per cent” of those ideas.
“This technology has surprisingly disparate effects across the productivity distribution: the bottom third of scientists see little benefit, while top researchers almost double their output. ” the study concludes. Acknowledging the benefits of these AI tools, Rogers said: , the creative part of the process has been automated. ”
Scientists have become more confident in AI-driven concepts rather than their original ideas, but “many of them have not worked in the long term,” the study claims. It’s not worth it,” one of the study participants told the Journal.
The AI revolution has a long way to go, but this study serves as a reminder of what disadvantages employers may face from this technology. Rogers believes that AI will only be effective “if you work with really skilled scientists.”
“Models must be complemented by subject matter experts who can evaluate and refine their predictions,” Rogers further explained. Rogers believes his research can help people understand how to maintain a balance between human creativity and technology-driven ideas.
