How AI will affect future workforce: Key considerations for shipping

Artificial intelligence has emerged as a powerful enabler of reskilling and upskilling programs, revolutionizing the way organizations prepare their workforce for the future. AI-driven platforms can assess individual skill gaps, identify learning patterns, and personalize training content to maximize effectiveness. By leveraging AI, companies can optimize reskilling efforts and ensure that employees acquire the relevant competencies needed to adapt to rapidly evolving job roles.

But if we add automation and the specter of gen AI to the mix, what effect do we project that’ll have on the labor market?

In this question, McKinsey’s senior partner Kweilin Ellingrud attempted to respond on a recent podcast, arguing that AI alone could automate almost 10 percent of tasks in the US economy. That affects all spectrums of jobs. ‘’It is much more concentrated on lower-wage jobs, which are those earning less than $38,000. In fact, if you’re in one of those jobs, you are 14 times more likely to lose your job or need to transition to another occupation than those with wages in the higher range, above $58,000, for example.’’

AI and the maritime industry

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the shipping industry, offering increased efficiency, safety, and sustainability, mentions a new report by KPMG which analyzes the trends and challenges in today’s shipping industry.  AI’s ability to learn and adapt makes it a versatile tool, capable of transforming operations from strategic decision-making to environmental conservation.

Applications of AI in shipping involve:

1. Automation of routine tasks: AI-powered systems can automate routine tasks such as navigation, route planning, and cargo handling.
2. Enhanced safety: AI is being used in behavior-based safety systems to analyze CCTV footage and identify crucial safety and security events in real time. This approach enhances the understanding and assessment of the safety culture on board, facilitating the sharing of insights and best practice with the crew and fleet.
3. Augmented decision making: AI systems can assist maritime professionals in making informed decisions by providing real-time data analytics, predictive maintenance insights, and risk assessments.
4. Remote operations and unmanned vessels: Machine learning algorithms can generate moves of the automated machinery, enabling partial autonomy of the units like ships or ports.
5. Voyage planning and route forecasting: AI is being used to optimize routes based on real-time data, enabling companies to react to unexpected events and choose the most time-effective alternatives.
6. Energy efficiency: AI is also playing a crucial role in optimizing fuel consumption and reducing emissions. AI solutions facilitate the ship’s carbon print reduction, such as route forecasting involving fuel consumption factors.
7. Fire detection: AI-based systems analyze real-time video feeds from onboard cameras, enabling them to detect potential fire hazards even before smoke or flames become visible. These systems can learn from previous incidents, enhancing their accuracy over time and providing greater protection for the ship and its crew.
8. Streamline back-office operations: AI is also being used to streamline back-office operations with Natural Language Processing (NLP)

KPMG notes that the integration of AI into shipping presents a complex array of benefits and challenges that need to be carefully navigated. In essence, the adoption of AI in the maritime industry will raise regulatory questions around safety standards, liability in case of accidents involving autonomous vessels, and data privacy concerns.

AI technologies: Friend or Foe?

The swift expansion of AI has the power to transform the employment landscape, underscoring the importance of embracing the associated opportunities. McKinsey’s Kweilin Ellingrud noted that the impact of gen AI alone could automate almost 10 percent of tasks in the US economy. ‘’It also does affect the jobs on the higher end of the wage range. Writers, creatives, lawyers, consultants, everybody is going to need to work differently, because parts of our jobs will be affected by gen AI. For some, it will be a more fundamental elimination of the job. For others, it will more remake how we spend our time.’’

With regards to the maritime industry, the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies emphasizes that with the growing prevalence of AI in maritime operations, many crew members are anxious about potential job displacement as computers become more capable. However, there’s reassurance for crew members.

While some traditional maritime jobs may be displaced by AI and automation, new roles will also emerge to support and maintain AI systems, as well as to manage the integration of these technologies into maritime operations. For example, as AI becomes more prevalent in the maritime industry, there will be a growing demand for workers with skills in data analysis, programming, cybersecurity, and AI system maintenance.

Overall, AI and machine learning can streamline tasks, but they have limitations in fully automating all functions. The unique skills and capabilities that individuals bring to maritime roles are irreplaceable by machines, underscoring the indispensable value of human presence on ships. Through reskilling and upskilling initiatives, organizations can assist employees in staying current and valuable within their field.