ChatGPT: Our jobs could be in danger? Not just yet

The AI can respond to prompts (questions, statements, and even phrases) in a very human-like way. It can do so fairly accurately using information available on the internet and in record time, too. Thus, handling repetitive and routine inquiries and complaints is a role the chatbot could take on.

Content creation jobs: Jobs of copywriters and journalists might be at risk as ChatGPT can write paragraphs quickly and without grammatical errors. It can adhere to word limits and respond to prompts such as "write in the style of CNBC news reports" or "write in the format of a social media post".

Promotional material, digital content, creative captions, and even news reports can be written in a matter of minutes, and with minimal cost.

Paralegal jobs: The job of a paralegal entails drafting and preparing legal documents to assist attorneys during cases. According to The Atlantic, ChatGPT has already passed the torts and evidence sections of the Multistate Bar Examination. Lawyers are using AI to draft legal briefs already. It can take over the job if designed specifically for this purpose.

Entry-level programming: ChatGPT can write code in several languages such as Java, Python, and other programming languages. It can also help developers debug their code.

Data entry and transcription positions: ChatGPT can be trained to transcribe, summarise, and synthesise large amounts of textual data.

While this list may breed some anxiety, it is important to note that ChatGPT can only churn out high-quality responses to prompts based on content that is already available on the Internet. The AI does not have the authority, understanding, or ability to correct itself. There is no way it identifies genuinely new or interesting ideas.

It cannot write code in a way that has not been written before. Neither can it come up with a creative way of writing content that has no prominent precedent. While it can automate certain tasks, it does not necessarily mean that the jobs associated with them will disappear. Automation can also change the role and responsibilities of jobs, and create new opportunities.