"AI Will Ultimately Take Over My Job"... Anxiety Over Job Threats Rises With Increased AI Adoption

"Possible to Replace Entry-Level Developer Roles," Concerns Rise

Although generative artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing work efficiency, a recent survey has found that the more actively it is used, the greater the anxiety over potential job threats becomes.

On April 22 (local time), U.S. AI company Anthropic released the results of a survey conducted on approximately 81,000 users of its generative AI service "Claude." The survey was conducted by having AI administer questionnaires to users and also conducting in-depth interviews through conversations.

According to the survey, the higher the level of AI usage, the more concerns there were about job displacement. For every 10 percentage point increase in AI utilization, the proportion of people who felt that their jobs were threatened rose by 1.3 percentage points.

In particular, those working in occupations with a high proportion of AI usage experienced greater anxiety. Respondents in the top 25% exposure group expressed concerns about job loss at a level approximately three times higher than those in the bottom 25%. A software developer commented, "Even with the current level of AI, it is possible to replace the work of entry-level developers." A market researcher remarked, "While the productivity gains are clear, in the future, AI will ultimately end up taking over my job."

On the other hand, AI received positive evaluations in terms of productivity. Respondents rated their perceived improvement in productivity at an average of 5.1 out of 7 points, which is considered "significant improvement." Many responded that AI helped reduce the time required or enabled new tasks in a wide range of work such as customer support, content creation, and simple development. An accountant said, "Tasks related to finance that used to take two hours can now be completed in just 15 minutes."

Users also perceived AI not just as a work tool but as a means to improve their overall quality of life. About 13.5% of respondents said they planned to use AI for "life management," such as scheduling or handling administrative tasks, and 11% expected that AI would help them secure more leisure time.

Anthropic stated, "Through these interviews, we were able to gain real insights into users' thoughts and feelings about the economic aspects of AI," adding, "The fact that economic concerns account for a significant share is an important signal in itself."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.