AI to take your job? This ex-OpenAI executive reveals key to staying employed

AI may well take up most jobs that can be easily automated, but a former OpenAi exec shed light on the key that will keep workers in their jobs.

Many analysts have voiced their fears about artificial intelligence (AI) stealing everyone’s jobs, especially those that require a lot of manual intervention. Others have said that AI will actually cause the extinction of humanity. While no clear answer has emerged, the AI juggernaut has acquired immense momentum and is moving forward inexorably. However, a former OpenAI exec has some words of wisdom for all those who are worried about their jobs being gobbled up by AI.

Human qualities will become the key to workers prospering in a world where AI is gobbling up jobs. (REUTERS)

Zack Kass, formerly of OpenAI, told Business Insider, "AI is going to commoditize most of our knowledge and many of our skills.” However, the very essence of what makes us human, will acquire even more importance in the employment market. He said, “immutable human qualities" that include "courage, vision, wisdom, empathy" will acquire immense importance.

His point is that workers must increasingly look at areas where they beat AI and that is "critical thinking". They will have the advantage if they “understand a problem really uniquely.” Something that AI has no hope of doing or beating humans at.

Not just that, even human qualities like being likable, having friends or others wishing to work with them will put these workers ahead and out of AI's way.

Kass says that workers will have to emphasise their personal qualities to stay ahead of the curve on AI.

Figuring from there, Kass says these ‘likable’ qualities in workers will not just ensure they retain their jobs, these will also ensure that the companies they work for grow apace. The reason being that these workers would be more productive and engaged.