AI’s white-collar gig economy is booming. Can it last?

A COMMON proclamation made by tech leaders is that while artificial intelligence (AI) will destroy jobs, it will also create many new ones. But what kinds of new careers will AI spark? And, more importantly, will they last?

Few spell out what will replace the swathes of white-collar roles that could be automated out of existence in the coming years. New forms of employment such as AI researchers and prompt engineers are few and far between.

Data from the World Economic Forum suggests that although there will be a net increase of 78 million jobs from around now till 2030, the fastest growth will be in roles including farmworkers, delivery drivers and construction workers – all driven by demographic shifts rather than a productivity boom from AI.