Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says "AI will replace humans for most things." He's predicted that some jobs will be safe, joking that no one would want to watch computers play baseball. But Gates has also stated that AI will replace doctors and teachers within a decade.
Now, it appears two more types of jobs could be replaced by AI, though the prediction comes from a different expert. Victor Lazarte, a general partner at venture capital firm Benchmark, predicted that lawyers and recruiters could lose jobs to AI tools.
Lazarte made his comments during a recent episode of the "Twenty Minute VC" podcast, which was later highlighted by Business Insider.
"Big companies talk about, like, 'AI isn't replacing people, it's augmenting them'... This is bullshit. It's fully replacing people."
Lazarte warned that law students should be on the lookout because those new to the profession often do tasks that could potentially be replaced by AI. Often referred to as grunt work, these tasks typically involve administrative duties, research, and drafting briefs.
I'd be hesitant to replace a qualified associate with AI, but I do think AI could streamline the workload of teams. That certainly could reduce the payroll of law firms if one lawyer with AI tools could do work that previously required several lawyers.
Recruiters are also at risk, according to Lazarte. AI tools are already used to scan applications and study the background of potential employees. Those tools can also screen people through calls, schedule interviews, and handle other tasks.
Speaking generally, Lazarte added, "you're going to have these trillion-dollar companies being done by very small teams," he said. "People that own shares will get richer, founders will get way richer."
Alongside his prediction, Lazarte shared a warning that AI could be a "very destabilizing force."
While Lazarte's comments are concerning, Gates has painted an even bleaker picture for workers. The Microsoft co-founder said that only three jobs will stick around after the AI revolution: biologists, energy experts, and coders.
It's difficult to predict how far AI automation will extend, but a recent study claimed that 54% of banking jobs can be automated using AI. If trends continue, it seems likely we'll see a large number of workers replaced by AI and other forms of automation over the coming years.
