Study reveals alarming statistics: One out of every three individuals express concern over potentially being replaced by artificial intelligence in their job.

In a recent survey conducted by YouGov, it was revealed that while the majority of Germans are not troubled by the prospect of losing their jobs due to Artificial Intelligence (AI), a significant portion of the population expresses concerns about the impact of AI on employment.

The survey, commissioned by the German Press Agency, involved 2,175 eligible voters in mid-August. It found that 62 percent of Germans are not troubled by the prospect of losing their job due to AI, while one in three Germans (33 percent) are worried about this possibility.

The survey also revealed that Germans with lower education levels are more likely to fear that their work could be done entirely or partially by an AI in the future. Nationwide, Germans living in cities are more likely to share this concern. However, the polling did not reveal significant differences between supporters of the various parties represented in the Bundestag regarding concerns about a job loss due to AI.

Voters of the Greens and FDP express this concern less frequently than the average, while those who voted for AfD, BSW, or Linke in the last federal election tend to be slightly more concerned about a job loss due to AI than others.

The survey came at a time when AI model development has made significant progress. In November 2022, the US company OpenAI published its first dialog-based language model, ChatGPT. Since then, improved capabilities have been demonstrated in AI models from various companies and developers. These improvements include logic, efficiency, scalability, and the simultaneous processing of text, images, audio, video, and other formats.

The survey also shed light on the potential impact of AI on the job market in Germany. Approximately 27% of companies in Germany expect AI to lead to job cuts in the next five years, according to a June study by the Ifo Institute. However, about 5% of companies in Germany expect additional jobs due to AI, as per the same study. Two-thirds of companies in Germany expect no change due to AI.

Questions of security and data protection are now also coming to the fore in Europe, as AI continues to evolve and become more integrated into various aspects of society. As the use of AI becomes more widespread, it is essential to address these concerns and ensure that the benefits of AI are realised while minimising potential negative impacts on individuals and society as a whole.