A recent Microsoft study investigated the “applicability” of artificial intelligence across various professions by scrutinizing search queries entered into Bing Copilot, Microsoft’s search engine chatbot. The study aimed to determine how AI could be productively applied to different vocations.

The Microsoft researchers developed a metric called the “AI applicability score.” This score is designed to gauge the extent to which AI can be incorporated into and benefit specific job roles. The study’s report indicates that this score serves to “track the frontier of AI’s relevance to work.” The primary goal was to analyze “what work activities users are seeking AI assistance with, what activities the AI performs, and what this means about occupations.”

According to the Microsoft report, occupations that demonstrated high AI applicability often involve AI functioning in a supportive capacity. In these roles, the technology “often acts in a service role to the human as a coach, advisor, or teacher that gathers information and explains it to the user.” The report emphasizes that AI in these scenarios serves to augment human capabilities rather than replace them entirely.

The study identified specific categories of jobs as having the highest AI applicability scores. These include “knowledge work occupation groups such as computer and mathematical, and office and administrative support, as well as occupations such as sales whose work activities involve providing and communicating information.” These professions typically involve analyzing and communicating specialized information, making them suitable for AI assistance.

In contrast, the study also identified occupations with low AI applicability scores. These roles generally involve manual labor and physical tasks. Examples cited include “dishwasher,” “cement mason,” “gas pumping station operator,” “floor sander,” “motorboat operator,” “hazardous waste removal worker,” and “embalmer.” The nature of these jobs, which require physical dexterity and interaction with physical objects, makes them less susceptible to AI automation.

Microsoft’s findings suggest a disparity in AI’s potential impact across different sectors. While some professions are poised to benefit from AI integration, others appear relatively insulated due to the nature of their required tasks. The study provides a quantitative measure, the AI applicability score, to assess this potential impact.

The report states: “It is tempting to conclude that occupations that have high overlap with activities AI performs will be automated and thus experience job or wage loss, and that occupations with activities AI assists with will be augmented and raise wages.” However, the study cautions against drawing direct conclusions about job displacement based solely on AI applicability scores. Microsoft claims that the study’s data “do not include the downstream business impacts of new technology, which are very hard to predict and often counterintuitive.”

Microsoft’s stance suggests an effort to temper concerns about the potential negative consequences of AI adoption. The company acknowledges the disruptive potential of AI but emphasizes the importance of considering a broader range of factors beyond mere technological capability. This perspective aligns with Microsoft’s role as a major developer and proponent of AI technologies.

Despite Microsoft’s attempts to downplay the potential for job displacement, some observers note that layoffs have already occurred in industries where AI has made significant inroads, such as coding. These instances suggest that the impact of AI on employment may be more immediate and direct than Microsoft’s report implies. The extent to which AI will ultimately reshape the labor market remains a subject of ongoing debate and observation.

The study’s findings highlight the diverse ways in which AI is likely to affect different sectors of the economy. While some jobs may be augmented and enhanced by AI, others may face increased competition from automation. The overall impact of AI on employment will depend on a complex interplay of technological advancements, economic conditions, and societal responses.

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