Microsoft’s new AI has just out-diagnosed generalist doctors. Whose job is next?

For now, employers say they favour redesign over redundancy. In EY-Parthenon’s survey of 60 Australian chief executives, 44 per cent ranked large-scale reskilling as a first or second workforce priority over the next three years, and 41 per cent prioritised redesigning roles to combine human and AI capabilities.

In Microsoft’s study, the software took over one part of a doctor’s job: the diagnostic work-up. HR teams can run the same task-by-task audit on any role. Which parts can software already do, who checks its output, and how will junior staff learn the parts it takes away?

What health employers can do now

HR teams don’t need to wait for a vendor pitch to start preparing. Sensible first steps:

• Audit which AI tools clinical and administrative staff already use, and whether they’re on work or personal accounts.
• Identify the tasks that build junior clinicians’ judgement before any are automated.
• Write accountability for AI-assisted…