What we typically refer to as “artificial intelligence” is, in practice, a set of data-based systems. These technologies are already transforming nearly every aspect of human life, giving rise to innovative business models and reordering entire economies. Over time, they promise to create new jobs, boost productivity and provide tools that extend cognitive capabilities, ultimately redefining the meaning of work itself.

But alongside these undeniable benefits, the digital revolution and rapid spread of DS are disrupting labor markets, education and professional training. The consequences are increasingly evident: precarious working conditions determined by algorithm-driven platforms, sustained downward pressure on wages and a structural mismatch between what economies need and what workers are trained to do.

This raises a critical question: Will the growing use of DS render paid professional work obsolete? Every technological leap, we are often reminded, has sparked fears of mass unemployment, and each time those fears have proven unfounded. But the historical pattern may no longer hold.

Past transformative technologies were largely designed to make human labor more efficient or less physically demanding. DS, by contrast, are often........

© The Japan Times