Dental Professionals at Relatively Low Risk of AI-induced Job Displacement, Korean Study says

South Korea: According to a recent study conducted by the Korean Research Institute for Vocational Skills (KRIVS), dental professionals are at a relatively low risk of job displacement due to artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The study analyzed 872 job categories, and dental professionals were found to be in the group with lower risk in terms of AI-induced technological replacement, compared to other professions. However, the study also showed that the risk for technological replacement in all job categories had more than doubled in the past year, indicating a potential for job displacement.

ChatGPT and the Future of Dentistry

Fourth Industrial Revolution will Displace Jobs Right Across Industries by 2030

The development of AI technology, specifically the recent release of the Open AI chatbot ‘ChatGPT,’ has brought about a global rise in expectations for the future knowledge industry of the fourth industrial revolution. However, it has also caused concern for job loss and the possibility of job displacement. Dental professionals, like other industries, have begun to take note of the advancements and outlook for AI technology.

KRIVS predicts that by 2030, AI technology has the potential to pose a threat of job displacement across a full range of industries. As of 2022, there were no jobs that were categorized as “low risk” for technological replacement. Dental professionals were included in the “medium-risk” group, along with 461 other job categories. The “high-risk” group included 411 job categories.

Using ChatGPT in your Dental Practice

Low Risk Does Not Mean No Risk

While dental professionals may, by inference, be at a lower risk for AI-induced technological replacement compared to other professions, the study highlights the potential for job displacement in the future. As technology continues to advance, dental professionals must be prepared to adapt to changes and integrate AI technology into their practice to stay competitive.

According to the researcher’s forecast, the number of dentists who will undergo job changes in the technological sector in 2030 due to AI is predicted to be 11,247, or about 76% of the total of 14,804. Also, 17,006 out of 28,115 dental hygienists, or about 60.4%, are expected to undergo a job change.

Will AI replace dentists?

Conversely, dental research technicians and dental assistants were at high risk. In the case of dental research technicians, 7265 out of 8156 total employed in the technical sector by 2030, about 89%, are expected to be replaced by AI technology.

Similarly, dental assistants were predicted to replace 40,439 people, or about 85% of the total 47,432 people employed on the same basis.

Source: dailydental.co.kr