This is a topic that’s on everyone’s mind right now. The way AI is progressing, there are a lot of people who feel like their jobs are on the line in the near future. A recent article published on Forbes likens AI to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, and it’s hard to disagree.
How are humans going to coexist in capitalist environments where businesses are eagerly looking forward to the idea of massive profits through automation? Is the future truly bleak, or is there a path for coexistence? Let’s explore further.
How Serious of an Impact Can AI Truly Have on Employees and Businesses?
According to research by Forrester, we are likely to see more than 2.4 million jobs being replaced by AI by 2030. That’s just in the U.S. The situation seems like it can only escalate, as 47% of business leaders are considering choosing AI over hiring new employees.
At the moment, roles that involve a lot of clerical work are already being automated, but there’s no way to really predict things. The same people who claimed that realistic video generation was years away are already being proved wrong with OpenAI’s new Sora model.
It’s safe to say that if a role involves any form of digital interaction, it will eventually be automated. It’s just a matter of time. Combine self-driving cars with whatever commercial creation Boston Dynamics comes up with, and even manual work may start seeing automation.
It’s easy to panic, but it’s important to look at how society can approach AI without doing anything impulsive.
The Human Element X-Factor
Something that you can already notice happening is the way industries are reacting to and responding to AI. While some of them have indeed gone the way of laying off employees, others have recognized that humans bring the X factor into play.
The truth is, that there are a lot of people who will consciously support businesses and content that involve humans in the process. Yes, AI can create art, but besides the novelty factor, it’s unlikely that people will flock to museums and art exhibitions for something AI-generated.
On the contrary, even niche content that’s human-made can still command an audience. If you haven’t already guessed it, the X factor we are talking about is ‘relatability.’
As Hocoos states, even the most advanced AI tools can’t replace genuine human interaction. This means that if you are a business that chooses to use AI to create your website and generate content on it, your visitors will most likely appreciate it if humans had some part in the process.
Cutting out human involvement completely from the picture is a mistake that businesses will soon regret. Thus, one pathway for human and AI collaboration is through public opinion. If society at large rejects complete AI automation, it’s unlikely to take over in the manner that people fear.
A second path also exists, but it involves a more regulatory approach.
AI Regulations and Laws Are Emerging
Legislation and regulations take time. The speed at which AI has advanced is something that most governments across the world weren’t prepared for. Thus, while it seems like AI is going to get better and better, devouring jobs and affecting the economy, it’s not entirely true.
It’s quite likely we will start seeing regulations imposed on how businesses can use AI and the rise of hiring quotas. Articles online about the topic focus on how governments need to ensure transparency, audits, and misinformation, but that’s a surface-level concern in the grand scheme of things.
Remember, if businesses are willing to choose AI over human employees, the impact it will have on society and economies will be massive. Democratic governments are beholden to the people, and if there’s a wave of public protest, AI regulation is going to be a major factor during elections.
That said, the panic that society is going through right now, while understandable, is not fully justified. The world is not black and white, and just because AI shows disruptive capabilities, that doesn’t mean it’s going to ruin the world. We can already see that many businesses emphasize that they recognize the importance of the human touch.
When these sentiments are combined with regulations, we are likely going to see a safer and more productive use of AI.
In conclusion, generative AI is intimidating a lot of people right now, but these same fears existed during the Industrial Revolution. It was also a massive change, and people feared that the loss of jobs would be devastating. However, if there’s one thing that history has taught us, it’s that humans are great at enduring.
Equipped with a Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) degree, Lucas Noah stands out in the digital content creation landscape. His current roles at Creative Outrank LLC and Oceana Express LLC showcase his ability to turn complex technology topics into engagin... Read more
