Signal Share of Korean workers at high AI automation risk projected to rise from 17.3 percent (2024) to 92.7 percent (2032)

Summary

Chapter 5 of the report estimates how many Korean workers could be exposed to AI automation by scoring 41 work activities with the large language model GPT-4o and applying the scores to KEIS employment projections. Scores were derived for 2022, 2024, 2027 and 2032, the last being the point at which the authors assume general AI becomes possible. Workers whose activities are about 70 percent automatable are classed as high risk, and their share of employment is projected at 17.3 percent in 2024, 38.5 percent in 2027 and 92.7 percent in 2032. When the score is adjusted for accountability, importance, the need for communication and economic cost, the high-risk share falls sharply to around 20 percent even in 2032. Risk is highest in elementary and agriculture, fishery and mining jobs and very low for managers and professionals, and by industry social services and manufacturing face relatively high exposure.