Report says more than 9 million U.S. jobs vulnerable to AI

Researchers at The Fletcher School at Tufts University estimate more than nine million U.S. jobs could be vulnerable to AI-driven changes.

(NBC)- As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly common in the workplace, a new report suggests millions of American jobs could face disruption in the years ahead.

Researchers at The Fletcher School at Tufts University estimate more than nine million U.S. jobs could be vulnerable to AI-driven changes.

“This transformation is a huge one,” said Bhaskar Chakravorti, dean of global business at The Fletcher School. “It cuts across so many different tasks and occupations. It cuts across every industry.”

The report identifies Massachusetts as the state most at risk, with about 7% of its workforce potentially vulnerable to displacement. Boston ranks among the most exposed cities in the nation.

Industries including technology, finance and professional services face some of the greatest risks. Occupations such as writers, computer programmers and web designers are among those considered highly exposed to AI tools.

Many workers are already incorporating AI into their daily responsibilities.

“You know we’re kind of training it to be better and almost do the things that we do,” said Lindsey Perry, a data analyst.

Researchers at MIT have also developed an interactive tool that analyzes jobs by region and breaks them down into individual tasks, showing which duties can currently be performed by AI.

Despite concerns, experts say the technology is unlikely to completely replace most professions.

“Very few jobs are fully exposed to AI, if any,” said Pierre Bouqet of MIT’s Work Analytics Lab. “AI can substitute for part of specific jobs, specific tasks, but it can’t fully substitute for a job.”

Researchers say AI is more likely to change how people work rather than eliminate entire occupations.