BISMARCK. N.D. (KXNET) — As technology advances, so do the idea of Artificial Intelligence being able to replace humans in their jobs. From creative arts like AI-Generated artwork and AI-written articles to more physical work like mechanical engineering and even surgery, the industry is constantly making advances that allow it to better carry out tasks of all kinds. However, with these advances comes a constant worry that the humans currently working in those fields will be replaced.

A recent survey carried out by FreelanceWritingJobs polled 3,000 employees across the United States in order to determine just how many individuals are worried about the idea of Artificial Intelligence rendering their jobs redundant. And while North Dakota’s overall levels are low, those in certain fields are feeling the pressure more than others nationwide.

Although many workers across the US have pondered the idea of AI removing them from their jobs, here in North Dakota, we don’t seem to be too worried. Of the North Dakotans surveyed, only 25% stated that they were worried about being replaced. The actual cause for this wasn’t discussed in depth in the study, but given the information on which jobs expressed the most fear of being rendered obsolete, it’s reasonable to believe this is due to the number of agriculture-focused jobs in both this and others states with low numbers of concerned individuals.

Agriculture itself is an industry that tends to be slower in adopting new technologies, and this is especially the case with AI — thus resulting in lower levels of concern in states with focuses on farming and ranching. The Midwest, in particular, has the lowest number of concerned individuals across the US. North and South Dakota share a 25% level of worry, but Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma all fall under the 20% mark (with Nebraskans being the least afraid in the country at 17%). Despite this, the agriculture industry, too, is slowly but surely adopting AI to increase efficiency and productivity — which could lead to our levels of concern rising in the future.

On the topic of jobs that are concerned about the surge in AI, the least concerned are those in the public service (government, schools, etc.) sector — where only 19% of surveyed individuals expressed any worry regarding the topic. In contrast, many industries have at least some level of worry about AI advancements rendering them out of work, including hospitality (59%), healthcare (44%), law (52%), and retail and tourism (43%). These concerns extended to finance (42%), real estate (38%), IT (52%), education (44%), and engineering (44%). Even the journalists who write articles like these have their own worries, with 52% expressing a fear of being replaced.

“The results of this survey provide a valuable insight into American workers’ attitudes towards AI and its impact on their job security,” said Shaun Connell, founder of FreelanceWritingJobs.com in a press release. “It’s clear that workers across the country are concerned about the impact of AI on their jobs, and industries must take proactive steps to support and reskill their employees to ensure they remain competitive in the AI-driven job market.”

The fusion of human and artificial intelligence seems like a stretch to some, but in reality, these ideas of reskilling and using AI to the benefit of current workers have already been put into action across the United States. 36% of surveyed workers state that they utilize AI technologies in their day-to-day jobs already. The problem, it would seem, is to find a way that both people and machines can work together without one’s service jeopardizing the other’s use. Either way, it’s good to hear that residents of North Dakota don’t have too many worries about being replaced.

To view an interactive map with the full results of the study, visit this page.