Should Artificial Intelligence Become an Excuse for Job Losses?

News Background: The IMF warned at meetings in Bangkok that artificial intelligence investments are supporting global growth but could disrupt jobs, while the UAE emphasized digital skills and secure digital infrastructure.

Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on People’s Lives

Whenever a new technological development emerges, excitement and fear rise together. But what we see today with artificial intelligence

is different in its speed, its impact, and the breadth of the sectors it may touch. Therefore, it is no longer acceptable to treat it as a technical subject that concerns programmers only, or as an economic success story told at conferences. What is happening now directly touches people’s lives, labor markets, and the very idea of job security.

Global Growth and Labor Market Disruptions

In Bangkok, the IMF stated that investment in artificial intelligence is helping keep global growth near 3%, while at the same time warning of widespread disruptions in the labor market. This paradox should concern us greatly in Egypt, because any talk of growth is incomplete without discussing job opportunities, the quality of new jobs, and the ability of youth to transition from traditional education to a market that moves faster every year.

Digital Skills and Secure Infrastructure

What I admire in recent Emirati remarks before the United Nations is that they did not treat digital transformation as merely hardware and systems, but instead emphasized digital skills, a secure general infrastructure, and practical benefits for people. This is a fundamental point because when technology disconnects from humans, it turns into a burden, and when it connects with education, training, and accessibility, it becomes a true tool for development.

Artificial Intelligence Is Not an Excuse for Poor Management

In my view, the most dangerous thing we can do is make artificial intelligence a ready-made excuse for every downsizing, layoff, or piece of mismanagement. Some organizations may find it easy to say that the “new phase” requires cutting staff, while the truth may be that the organization never invested in qualifying its employees in the first place, never developed their capabilities, and never leveled with them about upcoming changes. Here, the problem is not artificial intelligence, but the way it is used to justify poor human decisions.

Egypt and the Need for a Practical Discussion on Jobs

Egypt needs a practical, non-rhetorical discussion now. Which jobs are at risk first? Which sectors are capable of creating new opportunities? How can universities and institutes quickly redesign some of their programs? And how do we help an employee who has spent ten years in a routine job find a place for themselves in a new economy without demanding a miracle?

Fairness in Training Opportunities and Digital Transformation

We also need to pay attention to the issue of fairness. Not all workers have equal access to training, tools, language, or the appropriate digital environment. If we leave the matter to market forces alone, the new transformation may favor those who are already in a better position, leaving others more fearful and less capable of moving. Here, the gap widens instead of narrowing.

Linking Technical Plans to Workforce Training

I am not calling for resisting artificial intelligence, but for institutional and human shaping of it. What is required is that every technical plan be tied to a parallel skills plan, and that all expected financial savings be tied to a clear social question: Who will pay the price for this change? If the answer is the employee alone, this is not fair modernization.

Real Progress Preserves Human Dignity

Real progress is not measured only by what the machine does, but also by what we preserve of human dignity, opportunity, and meaning. If artificial intelligence is going to contribute to raising productivity, it must also contribute to raising the level of hope, rather than expanding the circle of anxiety.

A.S. Alhebsi / Abdulla Saeed Alhebsi

Author and Researcher specializing in Security, Heritage, Risk Management, and Control Room Operations

Published by Hany Sallam

Hany Sallam, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Scientific Magazine Ahram
An independent Arabic science magazine operating since 2008, dedicated to simplifying science, technology, space, natural phenomena and scientific stories for Arabic readers. The magazine includes sections such as “Zodiac Group” and “Stories and Tales”, alongside science topics that combine knowledge with a spirit of discovery. It operates independently and is not affiliated with Al-Ahram Press Foundation or any governmental body.