Digital Transformation and Employment Disruption. A Qualitative Analysis of the Challenges and Limits of Artificial Intelligence on the Future of Work

Abstract

The digital transition has become a common topic of debate for specialists, its impact on the way of life of individuals being increasingly complex and controversial. The current stage of the expansion of AI applications in various fields of activity and workplaces has caused debates regarding the replacement / elimination of humans in production and service processes. The current study aims to present a critical analysis of the effects of digital transformation on employment disruption and the role of the workforce in the conditions of increasing digital intensity of companies. Starting from an analysis of the specialized literature, and from discussions on the externalities produced by the digital transformation on the labor market, a comparison is made between the stage of automation/robotization on work and the current stage of the growth of AI applications. Through a combined qualitative analysis, the differences between doing digital and being digital are presented. The results show us significant differences between the two stages, but also the limits of employment disruption. Artificial intelligence will substantially change the working model, but it will not exclude man, it redefines his role and responsibilities in the sustainable development of the digital society. DOI: https://doi.org/10.53486/cike2023.02; UDC: 004.89:331.5; JEL: O31; J21; J81