AI Can Read Scans Now — So Why Are Radiologists More in Demand Than Ever?
AI’s Impact on Productivity, Jobs, and Society

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is more than just a revolution in productivity—it represents a gradual but profound transformation of society.
When efficiency skyrockets thanks to AI, an age-old question reappears:
> Will humans be replaced?
If AI performs tasks faster and more accurately, will certain jobs vanish? The reality is far more nuanced.
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Medical Imaging: Proof Humans are Still Essential
Radiology offers one of the clearest examples of AI progress:
- In 2017, Stanford’s CheXNet outperformed professional doctors in pneumonia detection.
- Today, 700+ FDA-approved radiology AI models account for over 75% of all medical AI devices.
Logic says: radiologists should be obsolete.
Reality says: radiologists are more in demand than ever.
Key Facts:
- By 2025, U.S. radiologists will earn $520,000/year, second only to plastic surgeons.
- Radiology positions and vacancy rates are at record highs.
Why?
- AI boosts diagnostic efficiency and accessibility → more exams overall.
- AI handles part of the workflow; complex or risky cases demand human oversight.
- Regulations require human signatures on final reports.
This creates more work for radiologists—not less—illustrating the Jevons Paradox:
> When technology boosts efficiency, demand grows, leading to more work.
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Economic Effects: Jevons + Baumol
AI’s productivity impacts don’t stop at direct efficiency gains—they influence wages, prices, and entire industries.
Jevons Paradox
- First observed in coal: greater efficiency → higher consumption.
- Modern example: Moore’s Law cut transistor costs by billions-fold, creating trillions more computing uses.
Example Price vs. Usage Growth:
| Transistor Price | Typical Uses |
|------------------|--------------|
| $1 | Military, payroll |
| 0.001 cents | Word processing |
| 0.000001 cents | Thermostats, greeting cards |
| 0.000000001 cents| Disposable shipping tags |
Platforms like AiToEarn官网 embody this effect by enabling global creators to use AI for:
- Content generation
- Cross-platform publishing
- Analytics & model ranking
- Monetization across Douyin, Kwai, WeChat, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, X (Twitter)
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Baumol Effect ("Cost Disease")
William Baumol explained why industries like orchestras face rising costs:
> Industries without efficiency improvements must raise wages to compete for talent.
When tech-driven sectors boost pay:
- Other sectors must follow suit to retain workers.
- Result: Rising prices even in industries untouched by AI.
Think about it: A booming AI industry may raise rents, salaries, and service costs—even for dog walkers.
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3 Scenarios From AI’s Ripple Effects
1. AI Makes the World Efficient — and Unrelated Services Costly
- HVAC technicians earn more due to AI data center cooling demand → their rates rise → other services (like plumbing) become pricier too.
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2. Jevons Effect on Services
- AI in legal work lowers drafting costs → people hire lawyers more often.
- Efficiency increases usage, not decreases costs long-term.
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3. The Priceless 1% of Human Work
When AI does 99% of a job, the human fail-safe becomes critical and expensive.
Examples:
- Radiologists verifying AI diagnoses
- Autonomous car "safety drivers"
- Signatories verifying compliance
Once AI truly hits 100%, those jobs may disappear—pay peaks then drops to zero.
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Looking Forward
If AI saturates workflows, the most highly valued jobs could become:
- Walking a dog
- Signing a legal document
- In-person confirmation
These tasks might be small today but could be economic bottlenecks tomorrow.
Bottom line:
- AI can drastically raise productivity.
- Jevons and Baumol explain why it may also increase demand and drive up unrelated costs.
- Platforms like AiToEarn官网 show how creators can tap into AI’s efficiency while preserving the irreplaceable human element.
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Read more:
- Jevons Paradox: Efficiency fuels consumption.
- Baumol Effect: Rising wages spread across industries.
Both phenomena will shape the AI-powered economy we’re entering—making human roles more valuable even amid automation.
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