'Overemployed' people using ChatGPT to secretly work multiple full-time jobs
As the rise in artificial intelligence tools continues, we see a small number of "overemployed" individuals exploiting these tools to work multiple full-time jobs. Generative AI has been a significant factor in this trend. Programs like ChatGPT, Dall-E, and Midjourney have taken the internet by storm, allowing individuals to churn out content like essays, blogs, poems, computing code, websites, artwork and even music that is indistinguishable from human work.
The "overemployed" community is made up of a small group of people quietly working multiple jobs, which became a trend that accelerated during COVID as more people started working from home. These individuals have quickly adopted the technology. They have come forward and explained how ChatGPT allowed them to take on even more work, without employers finding out.
ChatGPT is an AI tool that is able to do about 80% of some people’s jobs with great efficiency. For instance, Online Marketer “Ben” mentioned that ChatGPT was "the only reason" they got their second job this year. Ben even used the program to generate cover letters to apply for jobs. Another marketer said, "I can now crank out a blog post in 45 minutes, which used to take three hours - it's insane!"
One software engineer, dubbed "Charles," revealed that they were already earning $500,000 from two jobs, with a net worth of $3 million. They were hoping to increase their salary to $800,000 with a third job. One university lecturer shared that they secretly run two companies on the side, with ChatGPT doing 80% of the legwork, such as business plans, blog posts, and Excel spreadsheets.
The technology has made it easier for individuals to pull off their side hustles. On Reddit’s “Overemployed” forum, users explained various ways the technology had made it easier to pull off their side hustles. For instance, one programmer wrote, "It’s really good at putting together the skeleton of a program you want to write starting with just general prompts… ChatGPT will give me a semi-broken program that I can look at and start correcting it on the same chat until it approximates something I can test. Saves a ton of time."
Last month, investment bank Goldman Sachs said that generative AI was a "major advancement" and could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs worldwide. Goldman Sachs analysts warned in their report that "significant disruption" was on the way for the labor market, with an estimated two-thirds of jobs able to be automated to at least some degree. While AI could replace a significant proportion of work tasks, it may also lead to new jobs and a productivity boom, according to the report, which predicts it could eventually increase total global GDP by 7%.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, released its paper last month outlining which jobs are most exposed to the technology. OpenAI’s researchers found that mathematicians, writers and authors, public relations specialists, journalists, news analysts, interpreters, accountants and web designers are among the many occupations with the highest exposure. The researchers also listed 34 occupations which, unsurprisingly, face no risk from ChatGPT. Stonemasons, waiters, bricklayers, slaughterers, painters, and cooks are all safe.
In conclusion, as AI continues to improve, we can expect more disruptions in the labor market. Hopefully, there will also be an increase in new jobs and productivity boom, leading to a positive outcome for all.
