STEM Pros Are “Worried ” About AI

A once resilient career category takes the measure of artificial intelligence.

You’d think that a STEM degree (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) would insulate you from job displacement due to artificial intelligence.

If you did think so, you’d be wrong – just ask a STEM career professional.

According to a new study from SThree, a STEM talent recruitment firm, 34% of STEM professionals are “worried” about losing their jobs to AI and automation. Furthermore, 44% of young STEM professionals feel “at risk” from AI merging into the workplace.

“Employees . . . are increasingly apprehensive over the fate of their jobs, pondering how they can protect their roles,” the study notes. “This fear is borne out in our ‘How the STEM World Evolves’ study, which finds that more than a third of STEM professionals across the globe are worried about losing their jobs to AI and automation. Delving deeper, it’s clear that the dance between AI and employment is reshaping our professional realm. To capitalize on its potential, businesses need to take a proactive approach, upskilling and retraining workforces to secure a future in which they can thrive.”

Reasons for Concern

 

Companies that are rolling out new artificial intelligence tools in the STEM realm are playing with fire, SThree suggests.

“While it’s important to recognize and mitigate risk, the fear of AI, promoted by potential job losses, could become problematic for many reasons, including . . . “

• Rejection of the technology and protest behavior that will slow technological progress.
• If STEM professionals are not given the opportunity to learn how to use the tool, the skills gap will be exacerbated.
• Losing competitive industry advantage through underuse.
• Uniquely, healthcare career professionals are significantly less concerned about a mass AI job takeover than STEM professionals, and there are several good reasons for that outlook. The SThree study states healthcare professionals show a “greater reliance on social skills and the human touch” within their career sector than STEM workers. The study also notes that the healthcare industry is heavily regulated, which results in the “slower adoption of new technologies.”

Consequently, artificial intelligence and robotics will likely find back-office roles in the healthcare sector “rather than in place of the soft skills required by humans.”

 

Companies Have to Protect Their STEM Workers

 

The SThree survey shows that companies see a blend of AI and STEM talent inside companies as the best outcome, although many businesses are struggling to find that balance.

To restore order and get the most out of their human capital and AI investments, SThree urges companies to step in an protect both investments going forward.

“Businesses must safeguard hard-to-find STEM skills in the face of tech advances by offering reskilling, upskilling, and retraining programs that enable professionals to work with new tech rather than against it,” the study states. Continued development alongside tech innovation will help professionals feel secure and relevant in their roles and expertise—a sentiment that might improve their engagement and desire to remain in the workforce until later life.”

Career insecurity triggered by tech advances could also cause sought-after STEM professionals to pursue other opportunities. To prevent that scenario from happening in the workplace, companies must take further action.

“Understanding how tech developments will impact STEM careers and staying cognizant of what that means for sought-after skills and how they’ll evolve in the future is an approach that dynamic employers must take if they want to retain talent,” the study states. “If employers can deliver, both parties could benefit from a longer working relationship.”

Employers who want to retain talent must also adopt a proactive approach toward understanding the impact of technological advancements on STEM careers.

“This includes awareness of the evolving skills that will be in demand in the future,” says Nick Folkes, chief technology officer at SThree. “By doing so, employers can create a longer and more fruitful working relationship with their employees, benefiting both parties.”