Gaurav Saluja, “Integrating AI and Outsourcing: Evidence from Companies in and around Milwaukee”
Mentor: Avik Chakrabarti, Economics, Letters & Science (College of)
Poster #138
Outsourcing has typically been associated with moving jobs allowing businesses to take advantage of variations in labor costs across locations. However, with rapid advancements in technology, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI), a new form of outsourcing is emerging. Instead of relying on human workers, many companies are now turning to AI to automate tasks, streamline operations, and solve problems. This shift is reshaping the job market, leading to the displacement of tasks while simultaneously creating new employment opportunities. As AI continues to evolve, it is becoming capable of handling more complex decision-making and problem-solving tasks, further expanding its role in the workplace. While automation is replacing some traditional jobs, it is also generating opportunities in fields such as AI ethics, data analysis, and machine learning development. This trend is impacting businesses in the face of a tight labor market for AI. As industries adapt, some companies are investing in retraining programs to help employees transition into new roles, while others are redesigning workflows to integrate AI alongside human workers: Increasing integration of AI tools is reshaping how business decisions are made. With this backdrop, I am investigating how businesses are integrating AI into their operations and the broader impact this transformation is having on employment. Specifically, I aim to explore which jobs are being eliminated due to AI implementation and which new roles are emerging as a result of AI-driven innovation. To that end, I will conduct interviews with industry professionals who are actively working with AI. Through these conversations, I hope to understand AI’s practical applications, the challenges organizations face, and how employees are adjusting to new career opportunities. By analyzing this information, I aim to provide a clearer picture of AI’s evolving role in the workforce and its implications for the future of employment in and around Milwaukee.