‘One day I overheard my boss saying: just put it in ChatGPT’: the workers who lost their jobs to AI | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian

'They called it an experiment aimed at younger audiences'

Mateusz Demski, 31, journalist, Krakow, Poland

Freelance journalist and radio host Mateusz Demski lost his part-time job at Radio Krakow after the station introduced AI avatars. The station cited financial problems but later used bots to host shows, even interviewing a deceased poet. This replaced human presenters, including a queer colleague. The ethical implications, misinformation risk, and replacement of human experience caused outrage. Demski campaigned successfully to remove avatars, but the station still uses cheaper student labor. He believes AI has a place for mundane tasks but cannot replace complex thinking, creativity, or emotional intelligence. His concern is for human value in creative fields.

'Even those who've kept their jobs have had their wages reduced'

Lina Meilina, 30, illustrator, Bandung, Indonesia

Illustrator Lina Meilina has seen her income from commissions drastically drop due to AI image generators like Midjourney. AI complicates copyright protection. Freelance platforms promoting AI further hurt artists. Even the Indonesian government used AI art instead of local talent. Colleagues have lost jobs or had wages cut. Facing client loss, she's considering making cosplay props full-time, feeling her passion has been undermined and her mother might have been right about art not making money.

'I feel devastated for the younger generation - it's taking all the creative jobs'

Annabel Beales, 49, copywriter, Southampton, UK

Copywriter Annabel Beales lost her 'dream job' after noticing her workload decline and overhearing her boss favor ChatGPT. Despite assurances, she was made redundant, told AI replaced much of her work. The company now uses AI content lacking substance. Beales is devastated, particularly for younger generations losing creative jobs. Now in an administrative role, she feels more settled but regrets the toll. Her advice: learn many skills to be prepared.

'Listening to a series I'd recorded, I heard my character say a line - but it wasn't my voice'

Richie Tavake, 31, voice actor, San Francisco, US

Voice actor Richie Tavake experienced AI displacement firsthand when a client used AI to generate lines in his voice without permission and uploaded it online. This highlights lack of protection, leading to SAG-AFTRA strikes. While AI is fast, Tavake argues it lacks the skill, honesty, and cultural nuance humans bring. He notes the risk of inaccurate or offensive AI voices, especially for diverse cultures, emphasizing that human actors are essential for genuine character portrayal.