WORKERS should get a four-day week with no pay cut as AI speeds up workflow, the chief executive behind ChatGPT has said.
Sam Altman, the boss of OpenAI, the maker of the popular tool, has published a 13-page document on how companies should respond to AI disruption.
The blueprint entitled “Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age: Ideas to Keep People First” comes amid fears the super-fast technology could steal jobs from workers.
But the billionaire boss said that productivity gains from AI should be converted into shorter working weeks for employees who may be affected.
This could look like incentivising employers to run 32-hour or four-day workweek pilots with no loss in pay, according to Altman.
Elsewhere, the US-based tech mogul proposed the idea of a “public wealth fund” that would give every member of American society a stake in AI-driven economic growth.
The fund would invest capital into AI related assets and return the profits to citizens.
Open AI does not currently seem to offer its staff a four day work week, but does offer hybrid working.
The powerful tool, that can process large amounts of data at speed, has already led to a number of job cuts across the globe.
Amazon has cut up to 30,000 jobs in the past six months.
The blow came as Beth Galetti, vice-president of people experience and technology, previously said AI “is the most transformative technology” the world has seen since the internet.
Meanwhile, PwC has slimmed down its global workforce by 5,600 in the year to June 30.
Among the jobs to be cut were accountants and consultants.
At the same time PwC spent almost $1.5billion expanding its “AI capabilities”.
Meta, the tech firm behind Facebook and Instagram has also laid off hundreds of employees as it pushes forward with an AI investment.
Last year, the government launched an AI Opportunities Action Plan, which includes “AI growth zones” and an up skill drive that should see 10million workers with key AI skills by 2030.
How to avoid losing your job to AI
By Adele Cooke, senior consumer reporter
Although many companies are looking to cut costs and reduce their headcount, there are still things you can do to protect yourself.
Learning about AI and how to use it can help you remain employable.
It can be helpful if the company makes a change to its processes or increases your workload.
Knowing how to use AI now can also help you to free up time to focus on other tasks.
You should also focus on developing your creativity and ideas.
Although AI can be creative, its ideas are often unoriginal or identical, which is bad news if you work in a creative industry.
Focus on the areas where your talent and creativity set you apart from AI.
Leave a comment