Graft and grift
Has AI taken your job yet?
It’s not a completely ridiculous question. While many of us still look at AI as a handy tool that falls woefully short when asked to do something either complex or creative, the recent slew of AI-attributed redundancies show that business leaders believe the technology is ready to replace at least some people.
Whether it’s a real economic phenomenon or a case of mass hysteria, people are starting to respond. Zoomers are apparently pivoting to blue collar jobs or starting their own businesses to outrun or avoid the AI boom.
Others are attempting to make a quick buck from the inescapable direction of travel. Lawyers, history PhDs, and scientists are training AI how to do their jobs through platforms like Mercor. Those without such specialist knowledge can always turn to DoorDash, who launched a new app which allows drivers to film everyday tasks or record themselves speaking in another language to “help AI and robotic systems understand the physical world”.
While this all feels both dystopian and depressing, we shouldn’t judge. Everyone needs to pay the (ever increasing) bills. But as the world of work becomes more uncertain, it is grimly inevitable that scammers look to take advantage.
An undercover reporter for the Guardian recently ventured into the crypto-powered world of fake Google reviews, which offers ‘payment’ for five star reviews via an elaborate online system. Scam losses jumped 5 per cent in the year to December, with reports of job and employment scams from young Australians rising by 132% between 2024 and 2025. It’s now so bad, CBA put out a warning to customers.
Putting aside the need for enforcement, this points to two things - people are desperate enough for money to be duped, and the gap between legitimate work and grift is shrinking.
Forget some grand realignment in the world of work. Right now, that’s the real consequence of AI.