“AI replacement dysfunction” on the rise

There isn’t a ton of evidence to suggest that the introduction of AI has led to significant job losses, yet, states Gizmodo, it has led to “a significant amount of talk about job losses, and that appears to be taking a real toll on people. According to research published in the journal Cureus and spotted by Futurism, workers are increasingly suffering from distress caused by the constant fear of being replaced, and it’s gotten so bad that it needs its own term.”

According to Gizmodo, “researchers propose calling this new, modern anxiety “AI replacement dysfunction” or AIRD. The authors define it as a “new, proposed clinical construct describing the psychological and existential distress that could be experienced by individuals facing the threat or reality of job displacement due to artificial intelligence (AI).” The condition carries with it several common symptoms including anxiety, insomnia, depression, and identity confusion “that may reflect deeper fears about relevance, purpose, and future employability.” It can also lead to sufferers dealing with additional challenges like psychiatric disorders and substance abuse.

“The anxiety over AI is definitely real. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 71% of respondents said they were concerned that AI will put “too many people out of work permanently.” Pew Research found that more than half of Americans are worried about how AI in the workplace will impact their jobs, and most lower- and middle-class people believe AI will worsen their job prospects in the future.”