As there is already a lesser amount of Black professionals compared to their counterparts across industries, it may come as no surprise that they are feeling apprehensive about the trend of artificial intelligence (AI).
In October, a survey conducted by Charter Works showed that 53% of Black respondents shared that they are afraid of being replaced by AI, while the number of white respondents concerned was 39%, per Insider.
“I’m a little nervous about the use of AI as an employee and a consumer,” one Black respondent said, according to Insider. “I have a feeling that it will be mayhem and a huge inconvenience.”
Prior to the spike in AI’s popularity, in 2019, a study from McKinsey shared an estimate “that AI would disrupt 4.5 million jobs done by Black Americans by 2030.” Per the study, in the future, automation is likely to replace fast food and service positions, which Black people “are overrepresented in.”
While there is fear of AI in the Black community, stats also show that there are individuals who are being hands-on. According to the Charter Works survey, 45% of Black respondents are utilizing AI platforms for their jobs, and 61% are looking forward to the technology’s future.
Numbers such as these can lead to more potential opportunities instead of losses if more people quickly leverage AI.
During AFROTECH Conference 2023, Karen Pavlin, senior vice president and chief equity and inclusion officer at ServiceNow, expressed that now’s the time to start actively building toward an inclusive future for the technology.
“By 2030, there will be 23% more jobs in [AI], and now is the opportunity for us to get in and use our voice,” Pavlin said. “We need to be represented for sure.”
At the session, she also pointed out that within the AI industry, becoming a prompt engineer is one of the top roles to consider exploring. To learn more, watch the video below.
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