Over half of the Netherlands uses AI; Job security fears on the rise

More than half of the people in the Netherlands use artificial intelligence sometimes. The use of AI, often used to improve text or edit photos, has grown by 12 percent in a year, ING reported based on its research.

“At the same time, the concern about the effects this will have on job opportunities is also growing: 41 percent expect that AI will ultimately lead to a net loss of jobs. Still, hardly anyone fears that their job will disappear entirely,” the researchers state. However, workers increasingly believe that AI will change the nature of their jobs.

Four in ten people fear that AI can be a danger to society. However, almost half (48 percent) see AI as an opportunity. “Positively or negatively, many consumers expect AI to change their lives significantly. Almost half of the consumers expect AI to have a big impact on their lives for the next five years.”

ING specialists estimate that the risk of job loss as a result of AI is not that significant. “First of all, the continued rise of AI will take time, and its impact will be felt gradually. This means the labor market will also have time to adapt," the report states.

In addition, the Dutch labor market is in a relatively strong position to reap the benefits of AI. "Our high-quality service economy, with a relatively large number of highly educated workers, seems particularly well positioned to benefit from the application of AI."