Publisher Home ↗ editor@randspublications.org
International Journal of Social Sciences, Language and Linguistics eISSN 2051-686X Submit Article
Research Articles Open access

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Human Work: Risks, Opportunities, and Pathways Forward

Published
Pages 25-34
Views 217
Downloads 516

Authors

  • Davendra Sharma Lecturer and Course Coordinator. University Wide Programme and Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Programme, University of Fiji, Fiji Islands Author

DOI

https://doi.org/10.55640/ijssll-05-10-05 ↗

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the global world of work, raising fundamental questions about the future of human labour. While AI-driven automation offers significant opportunities for efficiency, innovation, and the creation of new industries, it simultaneously poses risks of large-scale job displacement, widening inequalities, and ethical challenges. This paper critically examines the dual impact of AI on human work, with particular attention to the balance between displacement and job creation, the changing nature of skills demand, and the emergence of human–AI collaboration as a new paradigm for productivity. Drawing on global debates and contextualizing them within small and developing economies such as Fiji and the Pacific, the analysis highlights both the vulnerabilities of low-skilled labour markets and the transformative potential of AI in reshaping education, healthcare, agriculture, and governance. The paper argues that the future of work will not be characterized by the complete replacement of human labour, but rather by its reconfiguration through reskilling, adaptability, and ethical governance. By proposing pathways that emphasize inclusive education, digital literacy, ethical AI frameworks, and policies that safeguard equity, this paper contributes to ongoing scholarship on ensuring that technological progress enhances human resilience rather than undermines it. Ultimately, the integration of AI into the labour market presents both risks and opportunities, and the outcomes will depend on how societies prepare, adapt, and innovate in response to this rapidly evolving technological frontier.

Keywords

Artificial Intelligence , Future of Work , Human Labour , Job Displacement , Reskilling , Human–AI Collaboration , Digital Literacy , Ethical AI , Fiji , Pacific

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Connell, J. (2010). Migration, development, and remittances in the Pacific. Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 19(3), 329–350. https://doi.org/10.1177/011719681001900303

2. Luckin, R., Holmes, W., Griffiths, M., & Forcier, L. B. (2016). Intelligence unleashed: An argument for AI in education. Pearson.

3. Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2017). Machine, platform, crowd: Harnessing our digital future. W.W. Norton & Company.

4. Frey, C. B., & Osborne, M. (2017). The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation? Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 114, 254–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2016.08.019

5. Davenport, T., & Kalakota, R. (2019). The potential for artificial intelligence in healthcare. Future Healthcare Journal, 6(2), 94–98. https://doi.org/10.7861/fhj.2019-0042

6. Topol, E. (2019). Deep medicine: How artificial intelligence can make healthcare human again. Basic Books.

7. ILO. (2019). Work for a brighter future: Global Commission on the Future of Work. International Labour Office.

8. Sun, T. Q., & Medaglia, R. (2019). Mapping the challenges of artificial intelligence in the public sector: Evidence from public healthcare. Government Information Quarterly, 36(2), 368–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2018.09.008

9. Thaman, K. H. (2020). Indigenous knowledge and education in the Pacific Islands. Pacific Studies Journal, 43(1), 15–36.

10. FAO. (2021). Artificial intelligence in agriculture: Opportunities and challenges. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

11. Hechanova, R., Cortes, R., & Siar, S. (2022). Digital transformation in small island developing states: Challenges and prospects. Pacific Economic Bulletin, 37(1), 55–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/peb.12345

12. Nabobo-Baba, U. (2022). Indigenous knowledge, culture, and technology in the Pacific. Journal of Pacific Studies, 45(2), 101–118.

13. Autor, D. (2022). The work of the future: Building better jobs in an age of intelligent machines. MIT Press.

14. Susskind, R., & Susskind, D. (2022). The future of the professions: How technology will transform the work of human experts. Oxford University Press.

15. UNDP. (2022). Human development report 2022: Uncertain times, unsettled lives. United Nations Development Programme

16. UNESCO. (2023). Ethics of artificial intelligence: Report and guidelines. UNESCO Publishing..

17. UNESCAP. (2023). Digital transformation for small island developing states: Policies and opportunities. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

18. World Bank. (2023). Climate change and jobs in the Pacific Islands. Washington, DC: World Bank.

19. World Economic Forum. (2023). Future of jobs report 2023. World Economic Forum.

20. Kereopa-Yorke, B. (2025). AI infrastructure’s environmental costs clash with Pacific Island nations’ needs. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ai-infrastructures-environmental-costs-clash-with-pacific-island-nations-needs/

Explore related research

Similar Articles

1-10 of 143
Continue exploring

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >> 

Search the journal

Find articles by title, author or keyword.