The landscape of work is poised for significant transformation, particularly in white-collar sectors, as noted by Olivier Godement, the head of product for business products at OpenAI. In a recent episode of the “Unsupervised Learning” podcast, he identified three key job roles that could soon be automated due to advancements in artificial intelligence: those in life sciences, customer service, and computer engineering.
Godement specifically pointed to the life sciences industry as being ripe for automation. He explained that pharmaceutical companies, such as Amgen, focus on developing new drugs, a process that involves extensive research and a variety of administrative tasks that are often time-consuming. “The time it takes from once you lock the recipe of a drug to having that drug on the market is months, sometimes years,” he stated. AI has shown promise in streamlining these processes by efficiently aggregating and analyzing vast amounts of both structured and unstructured data.
Having joined OpenAI in 2023 after an eight-year tenure at Stripe, Godement highlighted that while complete automation of all white-collar roles is not imminent, there are strong indications that fields like coding and customer service are becoming increasingly susceptible to automation. He mentioned, “The automation is probably not yet at the level of automating completely the job of a software engineer, but I think we have a line of sight essentially to get there.”
The evolution of software engineering practices has sparked considerable debate within the technology sector. A recent study by Indeed, released in October 2023, indicated that software engineers, quality assurance engineers, product managers, and project managers have faced the highest rates of layoffs in the current climate of corporate restructuring.
In addition to technical roles, Godement addressed the potential for automation in customer-facing positions. He shared his experiences collaborating with T-Mobile, a major telecommunications company in the United States, to enhance customer interactions. “We’re starting to achieve fairly good results in terms of quality at a meaningful scale,” he noted, indicating that significant progress has been made.
Further emphasizing the trend, renowned AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, often referred to as the “Godfather of AI,” expressed his views in a June podcast. He suggested that while AI is set to surpass human capabilities in numerous areas, certain fields will remain insulated for a considerable time. “I’d say it’s going to be a long time before it’s as good at physical manipulation,” he remarked. Hinton pointed out that jobs involving mundane intellectual tasks, such as those of paralegals, face a higher risk of automation, stating, “For mundane intellectual labor, AI is just going to replace everybody.”
As AI technologies continue to develop, the implications for the workforce are becoming increasingly clear. Companies and employees alike must prepare for a future where automation could redefine roles across various sectors. Godement’s insights provide a glimpse into the changing dynamics of work, urging a reevaluation of how industries adapt to technological advancements.
