Then again, those in the know tell us that it probably won't. One thing AI will definitely do, though, is take our jobs, leaving a mass of unemployed, utterly useless individuals in its wake. Right?

The truth, though, is far more nuanced than some reports would have us believe.

There are currently 6.47 million unemployed people in the United States. Due to fierce competition, credential inflation, and companies becoming more selective, many of these people may find themselves unemployed for the foreseeable future. To compound matters, the jobless must also factor in another huge obstacle: AI-enabled machines and automation.

It's natural to fear new technology. The printing press was met with shock and horror. So, too, were inventions such as the telephone, radio, and TV. But AI is nothing like these rather benign creations. It's a completely different animal altogether, one that has the power to destroy countless professions, but also create a number of eye-opening opportunities. Some analysts warn that AI will alter the employment landscape permanently. According to researchers at Oxford University, AI poses a direct threat to 47 percent of U.S. jobs. ChatGPT and other AI chatbots have people worried, understandably so.

In the UK, over the next two decades, AI will leave at least 7 million people jobless, according to analysts at PwC. Considering the UK has a population of 67 million, 7 million is a huge number. At the same time, however, AI will create 7.2 million new jobs. The same is true in the United States. AI is predicted to create more jobs than it will destroy. This part is so often, either consciously or otherwise, omitted from the "AI will replace us" conversation.