PERSPECTIVES AND CONCERNS OF LUND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS REGARDING AI AND EMPLOYMENT

Abstract

The present study investigates the perceptions and concerns of Lund University students as it pertains to their future employment amidst the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is speculated to have a progressive integration in the labor market. Recent studies project both partial and total task substitution in the coming years, which will have a displacement effect on employment, already having an impact on the workers’ apprehensions and therefore could also be having an effect on the students. This research used data from a tailored quantitative questionnaire supported by qualitative open-ended questions to measure the students’ level of concern regarding AI and employment as well as the factors that play into their perceptions and if strategies are followed to make themselves more employable. Statistical analysis was carried out to acquire the results, being contextualized by means of Social Identity Theory and IT Identity Threat Theory. The results suggest that Lund University students do not feel concerned about the potential effect of AI on their future employment but do hold concerns about the implications of a more automated workforce and society. The findings call for further research into the students’ concerns about the future of AI and employment, as well as the educational institutions’ responsibility to prepare the students for the progressively automated labor market.

Popular Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an advanced type of technology that enables computers to learn, analyze, and create in a certain way imitating human intelligence and creativity. In hand with the fast development of AI in recent years, especially due to Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) or Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies, which are AI that understand written language and can generate things such as ChatGPT, that have become available for the general public, there has been an increased worry that AI might start replacing tasks or roles that human workers currently fill. Some recent studies have suggested the labor market will become more automated in the coming years but there is no clear agreement about the timeline and span of this. However, the possibility of replacement by AI is starting to concern workers, so it would not be unreasonable to think that perhaps university students might be concerned too, as they will soon join the labor market. This study attempts to shed light on this and understand how students feel about AI and their future jobs; do they feel threatened, or do they feel optimistic? This study also tries to look into the factors that shape the students’ views on AI, for example, is there a difference in the students’ views because of their field of study? To do so, this study created a survey that asked students at Lund University all of these things. The results of this study show that most students do not feel that AI threatens their future jobs or fields of work but are concerned about the impact of AI on the job market and society. They are also worried that universities and governments are not doing much to prevent the possible consequences of AI as its use becomes more common in society. This study hopes to help institutions understand the students’ concerns and, perhaps, even come up with possible solutions to help give students better job opportunities

• author: Muñoz-Rojas Domínquez, Claudia
• supervisor: Johan Sandberg
• organization: Graduate School
• course: SIMZ51 20241
• year: 2024
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Social Sciences
• keywords: Artificial Intelligence (AI), job displacement, automation, labor market, students, perceptions, concerns.
• language: English
• id: 9160241
• date added to LUP: 2024-06-26 12:29:53
• date last changed: 2024-06-26 12:29:53