AI will affect 40% of jobs and probably worsen inequality, says IMF head

Artificial intelligence will affect 40% of jobs around the world and it is "crucial" that countries build social safety nets to mitigate the impact on vulnerable workers, according to the head of the International Monetary Fund. AI, the term for computer systems that can perform tasks usually associated with human levels of intelligence, is poised to profoundly change the global economy with advanced economies at greater risk of disruption. Analysis by the IMF, the international lender of last resort, says about 60% of jobs in advanced economies such as the US and UK are exposed to AI and half of these jobs may be negatively affected. But the technology will also help to enhance some humans' productivity as AI improves their performance, it said. According to the IMF, the safest highly exposed jobs are those with a "high complementarity" to AI, meaning the technology will assist their work rather than displace it entirely.