Who worries about job displacement?

One in five respondents expressed concern about being replaced by AI. Software engineers, for instance, are worried about losing their jobs to AI, with one saying they're "100% concerned, pretty much 24/7 concerned about losing my job eventually to A.I." The survey used Claude-powered classifiers to infer people's occupations and sentiments from their responses. Respondents' concerns about job displacement correlated with the survey's measure of 'observed exposure', which reflects the percentage of tasks in a job that Claude is used for. Elementary school teachers, for example, were less worried than software engineers, consistent with Claude's usage patterns. For every 10-percentage-point increase in exposure, perceived job threat increased by 1.3 percentage points. Early-career respondents were more likely to express concern about job displacement than senior workers.

Who benefits from AI?

On average, respondents reported significant productivity gains, with a mean rating of 5.1 out of 7, corresponding to 'substantially more productive'. High-paying jobs, like software development, and some low-paying jobs, such as customer service, reported the largest productivity gains. A customer service representative, for example, used AI to save time when creating responses. Some low-wage workers were even using AI for technical side projects, like a delivery driver starting an e-commerce business. Most respondents said AI benefits them directly, through faster tasks and expanded scope. However, 10% of respondents who named a beneficiary said employers or clients were getting more work done. The benefits of AI productivity gains were mostly cited as flowing to the users themselves, rather than employers or AI companies.

Scope and speed

Respondents experienced productivity gains in various areas, including scope, speed, quality, and cost. Many users reported that AI enabled them to take on new tasks, like a non-tech person becoming a full-stack developer. Others sped up existing tasks, such as an accountant finishing a financing task in 15 minutes that used to take 2 hours. The most common productivity enhancement was in scope, cited by 48% of users, followed by speed, mentioned by 40%. The relationship between speedup and perceived job threat is U-shaped. Respondents who reported that AI slowed them down or significantly sped them up were more likely to indicate job threat.

Discussion

The thing is, understanding AI's economic impact requires hearing directly from people about their experiences. The survey responses show that people's concerns about AI track the usage data. There are signs that Claude empowers its users, but also concerns about job displacement, particularly among early-career workers. Look, the reality is that AI is changing the way people work, and it's essential to consider both the benefits and the risks.

The survey provides valuable insights into how people perceive AI's impact on their work and livelihoods. While there are concerns about job displacement, many respondents report significant productivity gains. As AI continues to evolve, it's crucial to consider the diverse experiences and perspectives of those using AI in their daily work.