PERSPECTIVES AND CONCERNS OF LUND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS REGARDING AI AND EMPLOYMENT

Sammanfattning

The present study investigates the perceptions and concerns of Lund University students as it pertains to their future employment amidst the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is speculated to have a progressive integration in the labor market. Recent studies project both partial and total task substitution in the coming years, which will have a displacement effect on employment, already having an impact on the workers’ apprehensions and therefore could also be having an effect on the students. This research used data from a tailored quantitative questionnaire supported by qualitative open-ended questions to measure the students’ level of concern regarding AI and employment as well as the factors that play into their perceptions and if strategies are followed to make themselves more employable. Statistical analysis was carried out to acquire the results, being contextualized by means of Social Identity Theory and IT Identity Threat Theory. The results suggest that Lund University students do not feel concerned about the potential effect of AI on their future employment but do hold concerns about the implications of a more automated workforce and society. The findings call for further research into the students’ concerns about the future of AI and employment, as well as the educational institutions’ responsibility to prepare the students for the progressively automated labor market.