Nearly 40% think AI will cost jobs in the Netherlands; Only 1% think they are at risk
An ING Research survey found a disconnect between Dutch residents’ concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) and their own job security. While 38% said AI would lead to overall job losses, just 1% expressed fear of losing their current job to AI.
The survey suggests Dutch citizens recognize AI’s potential disruption but struggle to reconcile that fear with their own job security. “This belief in job retention appears to be even stronger among respondents who are more familiar with AI and also among some professional groups such as managers and technicians,” ING surmised.
The ING study underscores growing concern about AI’s role in the Dutch labor market. Nearly four in ten residents anticipate widespread job displacement, reflecting prevalent worries about automation. These concerns are not unfounded, as AI has demonstrably transformed industries by automating tasks previously performed by humans.
However, the specific details of the survey paint a more nuanced picture. While a significant portion (38%) expressed fear of widespread job losses, the survey doesn’t specify the types of jobs most at risk.
Additionally, 28 percent said they expected the impact to be more limited, and 5 percent said there would not be any impact.
Another 9 percent even said that they believed AI would lead to job creation. On a separate question, about half said AI would at least partially change their job responsibilities.
Just over a thousand people responded to questions on the subject, with 40 percent admitting they at least tried a generative AI program in their private life in the past year. Two-thirds of those between 18 and 24 used AI one or more times this past year, and just over half of those 25-34 did so. More than 40 percent of people between their mid-thirties and mid-fifties have tried it, but less than a fourth of those older than 55 used AI
“Consumers’ experiences with AI are often positive,” ING wrote on the subject. “At the same time, in order to utilize the potential, there must be another number of obstacles are taken, for example in the areas of data quality, regulation and the necessary investments in infrastructure and knowledge.”
