Canada’s aging population and slower immigration rates are creating labour shortages, but artificial intelligence could help by expanding the worker pool and boosting productivity, according to new research from the Fraser Institute.
The Vancouver-based think-tank released a study today that challenges common fears about AI eliminating jobs, instead arguing the technology could bring new workers into the labour market while making existing employees more productive.
“While there’s a common perception that AI will eventually lead to mass unemployment, it actually opens the door to the labour market for people who may have been on the outside looking in,” said Morley Gunderson, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Toronto and author of the study titled “Can AI Mitigate Our Labour Force Problems?”
Expanding access to employment
The research suggests AI could help match employers with job seekers more effectively, including retirees wanting to return to work, students seeking part-time positions, and new immigrants looking for opportunities.
For workers with disabilities, AI-powered assistive technologies such as screen readers and speech recognition software could improve employment prospects. The technology could also make driverless vehicles and smart wheelchairs more widely available, the study notes.
Addressing productivity concerns
Canada has struggled with stagnant productivity growth, and the Fraser Institute study suggests AI could help reverse this trend.
The technology could connect smaller, geographically dispersed markets with larger commercial centres, facilitate both domestic and international trade, help small businesses expand, and boost innovation capacity among scientists and engineers.
“Rather than unduly fearing AI, Canadians should welcome the promise of AI to increase our ability to produce goods and services and improve our living standards,” said Steven Globerman, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute.
The Fraser Institute is an independent public policy research organization with offices across Canada. The study comes as employers face increasing challenges filling vacant positions amid demographic shifts affecting the Canadian workforce.
