MIT has formed a working group to study generative AI’s impact on existing and future jobs. The group is made up of 25 corporations and nonprofits, along with MIT faculty and students. Their aim is to gather data on how teams are utilizing generative AI tools and the effect of these tools on the workforce.
While the generative AI wave has generated a mixture of excitement, anxiety, and conjecture about its prospects, there are no clear answers yet on how it could transform jobs and skills. The working group, formed by MIT’s Industrial Performance Center (IPC), aims to turn this technology into a positive benefit for society by developing practical strategies in response to widespread public concerns over job automation.
The group recently released its first newsletter, Generation AI, sharing preliminary findings. It had its first meeting with AI leaders from a diversified range of global firms, and also organized a workshop on responsible AI practices in collaboration with MIT’s Industrial Liaison Program. The working group is sponsored by Google.org as part of its Digital Futures Project, which seeks to bring together different perspectives to address AI’s opportunities and challenges.
In the next two years, the working group will conduct three tasks. First, they will conduct research on the early applications of generative AI in leading global companies. This research, which involves collaborating with businesses and will begin publication as a series of case studies in 2024, aims to understand how organizations are ensuring responsible tool use and the workforce is adapting, particularly how these tools are altering skills and training requirements for work.
Second, the group will organize, hosting quarterly virtual sessions for members to share developments and problems with their implementations of generative AI tools and learn from their peers.
Third, the group will develop training resources based on their research and feedback, for organizations looking to prepare or retrain their workforce for integrating these AI tools into their operations.
IBM and Liberty Mutual Insurance are among the companies that have joined the working group. The group has already spoken to or engaged with more than 40 companies, including Google, Raytheon, Xerox Corp. and others.
