How Will AI and Hybrid Work Change Your Job?
Nikita Q., a high school junior from Washington state, U.S., already has a clear vision of where she fits into the future of work. The 17-year-old Wharton Global Youth Pre-baccalaureate student aspires to be an artificial intelligence (AI) ethicist, exploring and problem-solving how society can responsibly use advancing tech.
“I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer, but I didn’t really have a path in mind. With the release of ChatGPT and the recent AI explosion, a new possibility showed up,” says Nikita, who is immersing herself in all things data and analytics as she builds her AI subject-matter expertise. “I began to look into artificial intelligence and realized how innovative and awe-inspiring it really is. It is human nature to be curious, creative, and innovative, but with this we should be careful not to lose our morality and potentially endanger the human race. I want to work on the policy side of law and make sure we continue to innovate, but in a safe and ethical way.”
The Robots Have Arrived
Nikita, recognizing that we have entered a life-changing era of computer-generated intelligence, is embracing the transformative power of AI as she envisions her future employment. The AI revolution is not just informing what we pursue as a profession, but also how we do the work once we get there. AI is one of two powerful forces that is reshaping the future of the workplace, and the other is hybrid or remote options (working some days in the office and others from a remote location, like home).
With AI, people are considering the worker impact of products like ChatGPT, as well as robotics. Will these ever-smarter machines replace employee skills and force people out of their jobs? What are the implications for how we approach our work tasks?
“Every time we see a technology that could potentially change the way we work, change our lives, there’s a human visceral reaction to it,” notes Lynn Wu, a Wharton professor who studies the implications and influences of cutting-edge technologies on the workforce. “We tend to overestimate what the technology can do, and we think, ‘I’m going to lose my job now.’ It’s really important to take a step back and figure out what that technology is doing before we make any decisions.”
Dr. Wu’s research does just that, analyzing the effects of robot adoption on employment at the company level. She draws some conclusions about whether businesses lay more people off because technology promises to do their jobs more efficiently, or they hire more people to operate and support these technologies. “We found that robots did not replace human workers,” notes Wu. To learn more about her research, visit the Rise of AI: Are Robots Taking Our Jobs episode of Knowledge@Wharton’s Ripple Effects podcast.
“I’m skeptical about the argument that the computers are going to do it all for us.”
–Dr. Matthew Bidwell
Matthew Bidwell, a Wharton professor of management, agrees that automation has historically not forced jobs to disappear altogether, but instead shifted the responsibilities related to those jobs. “AI could be a huge change for the future of work, or it could be much more incremental,” he suggests, pointing to professions like lawyers, copy editors and writers as examples of where generative AI (ChatGPT) will likely have major influence.
“There are big questions about how quickly these new AI models will continue to improve and become more reliable,” Dr. Bidwell adds. “The most terrifying prospect is that we see a shift of high-skill cognitive pay going to the people who own these AI models. You end up with this tinier class of people who are being paid for running the models and everybody else is doing drudge work (a sci fi scenario). I’m skeptical about the argument that the computers are going to do it all for us. Even if the computer is writing most of the code, a high-level understanding of what’s going on there, what code can and can’t do, and when it is working well is valuable.”
These are among the questions and scenarios that aspiring AI ethicists like Nikita will need to tackle.
Productivity and Relationships
Dr. Bidwell is certain, however, about the effect of AI on the bigger economic picture. “The positive is obviously that AI makes us more productive,” he says. “If it’s quicker to do things, we can get more done. That’s a good thing. A big challenge for the richest parts of the world has been that productivity growth has been fairly slow over the last 15 to 20 years. Ultimately, as a society we get richer because we’re able to do more per person than we used to be able to do.”
Productivity is also a consideration as companies think about where employees will do their best work in the future. The potential for more hybrid work has grown an enormous amount in the past several years, prompted by the pandemic, says Professor Bidwell. And it has sparked conversation and debate among business managers. While they may want employees in the office all the time, that is not necessarily the ideal model for employees and companies to thrive.
“We had this default assumption that you had to be in the same place to work together. And we don’t have that assumption anymore,” Professor Bidwell observes. “Something we underestimate is that pretty much all the work we do is interactive in one way or another. You work in a company because you need to take the input from somebody else in the company and you need to provide output to another person in the company; what you do affects others. Everything we do is around interaction and interdependence. The positive is that hybrid work starts to put more of a spotlight on that kind of interaction. There’s some work I can do independently and there’s some work that we need to do together. Where should I do each of these pieces of work?”
Your future of work will probably involve a mix of at-home and in-office demands, suggests Dr. Bidwell. He also believes that employees’ workplace needs change at different times in their careers. Early on, for example, building strong relationships is super valuable. “High school students should understand the value of being together in the office,” he notes. “People worry that we lose things when we’re not together in the office: there’s less mentoring, less development and fewer opportunities to learn from people. When you’re starting your career, those networks are really important.”
Conversation Starters
Like Nikita, are you thinking about pursuing a career path related to the AI revolution? Share your story in the comment section of this article.
Dr. Bidwell worries about a society where “a tinier class of people are being paid for running the AI models and everybody else is doing drudge work.” What worries you about the impact of the explosive growth of AI on work and society?
The pandemic made us rethink the way we do so many things that we have done the same way for very long: like the “default assumption” that we had to be together in the same place to work effectively. What other business systems and operational approaches might also be ripe for change?
Humanity is a gift. We have the opportunity to feel, experience, and see the world around us through our own personal lens. With the rise of AI and the digital world, we begin to lose our sense of humanity as well as individuality and become reliant on robots to do our thinking for us. We were all born with capable brains, why not use them to their fullest potential? While I can recognize the benefits of AI and its increase in our overall efficiency, the technology is very negatively impactful in the space of the classroom and other creative learning environments. When an essay is assigned, some students will put the prompt into ChatGPT for an answer. In our poetry unit, people would ask the bot for ideas instead of forging them on their own. I foresee that artificial intelligence will gradually integrate itself more and more in the daily lives of students, educators, and artists. People will become dependent on bots to come up with ideas for them and become increasingly less creative. Human beings are special because we can produce art, music, and writing from the depths of our own brains. Generating our own creations influenced by our upbringing and unique experience is irreplaceable. Artificial intelligence is called artificial for a reason; it is fake. It lacks the feeling and real-life experience it takes to come up with a really good idea. Though this new technology will slowly, or rapidly, creep its way into our everyday lives, AI will never replace the innovations that come from the magnificent structure that is the human brain. As we move forward as a society, it is more important for future leaders like Nikita to keep technology in check and protect the integrity of original human ideas.
I know it seems impossible for artificial intelligence to have a soul, but didn’t we think about intelligence and creativity the same way?Maybe there will be a day when AI will get feelings.And most likely we will lose our reality if that happens,AI has really enormous,destructive,amazing potential.
I disagree. The complex biochemical reactions which are necessary for us to have feelings cannot be replicated by AI. Our brains are not computers. They were forged with the intent of survival through hundreds of thousands of years. Any and all the feelings we possess exist for an evolutionary reason.
AI does not need to feel. It cannot make moral and correct ethical decisions. All the “creativity” AI has was born from the ideas of other humans.
Even if AI becomes sentient, it is entirely different from gaining a soul. A soul connotes the idea that something is immortal, even amidst death. But AI cannot die (at least not in the same vein as humans can). Is powering off/shutting down AI killing it? And knowing the story of AI birth (to support human activities), does that detract from its ability to have purpose beyond its creators?
The problem with AI is that we like to drive efficiency and productivity. Doing so has helped humanity, but everything has its downsides. AI drives efficiency and productivity but sacrifices creativity as you mention. I think the best way we can drive efficiency and productivity while protecting original human ideas is by using AI just as a tool to aid us. In other words, AI should be utilized to comb the internet for data/sources that support original thought. Finding data and sources is tedious and that is why AI can be helpful. Where before it may take hours to find certain data and sources, AI can find them in seconds. Finding data and sources is tedious, but original ideas and “thinking outside the box” are hard. They require you to “think” and not just “search.” The problem – which you clearly outline – is that AI is being utilized to do the original thinking – the hard part. As you say, this is a huge problem because people will become increasingly less creative.” The integration of AI into society is inevitable. People drive efficiently and productively and AI does both. However, AI does affect the quality of the work we do, if we have AI do the actual work. How can we encourage people to use AI simply as a tool, rather than as their decision-maker? How can we establish guidelines to protect human creativity and thought? How should we think about the ethics of AI and its effect? These are all questions that Nikita will be faced with, but I am confident that Nikita – and others like Nikita – will come up with innovative and creative solutions to these pressing questions regarding AI.
All I can say is watch Mother android! That where scare you and show us what will happen with AI in the future!
Humanity is truly a miraculous gift, with our brains possessing an extraordinary capability to create original ideas, essays, designs, movies, and much more. However, I observed many of my peers relying on AI to create the most mundane projects ever as ChatGPT emerged, so I agree with you: There is a fine line between using AI as a tool and becoming overly reliant on it to do the thinking for us. In the end, AI can only produce replicated ideas/images/music, but cannot go beyond a mere imitation as it was trained with what we created.
Quite interestingly, AI’s “cognitive abilities” remind me of an argument I heard in my philosophy class: “Every possible piece of art has been created, and now, we can only replicate them with slight variations.” Although I couldn’t find much evidence to support this argument, it is a very accurate summary of AI. However, AI won’t stop where it is right now; we will continue to improve upon it. And, I must admit I am curious about the time we will question whether robots have a soul rather than just accepting that they don’t.
Arthur C. Clarke says “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” So, will sufficiently advanced AIs be indistinguishable from the gift of humanity?
Wow, Taylor! Reading your comment I can already tell how strongly you feel about the rapid advancement of AI. However, I want to provide another perspective into the world we live in, maybe even comfort your concerns about AI, especially in the educational setting.
First off, you bring up very interesting points regarding our humanity. I definitely agree to the extent that AI won’t be able to replace our innate creativity. Although generative AI, like ChatGPT, has the potential to “work”, their experiences will definitely not replace the emotional aspect of human interactions that happen on a daily basis in various settings. Even now, there are many flaws with ChatGPT. From the moment I’m writing this, ChatGPT’s database is only familiarized up until September 2021. That range already showcases its limitations, as it can’t possibly replace human creativity if it isn’t updated on recent news.
Despite these limitations, I still believe that ChatGPT has the potential to incite collaboration. You frequently mention that ChatGPT, because of its artificiality, removes creativity in educational facilities. However, my experience with ChatGPT is one that I view as supportive; perhaps relationships with AI may just be based on the specific individual! Whenever I get writer’s block, or even get confused about something, ChatGPT is an easy and accessible way to provide feedback and even start the brainstorming process for me. Additionally, regarding your point on students using ChatGPT, I believe that using ChatGPT, especially for cheating purposes, will ultimately cheat themselves out of the knowledge that they may gain. In that case, I do agree that it limits students’ creativity, far more than it might benefit. However, we do have AI detectors, such as GPT Zero, and even teachers have found a way to decipher AI-generated text from human text. For instance, my ELA teacher talked to my classmate who “ChatGPT-ed” his entire final essay for the class, which ultimately ended with a 0 on the assessment. Perhaps those experiences emphasize your point on the distinction between humanity and AI (such as writing style), but even then, I believe AI won’t ultimately end human creativity once and for all.
In fact, I recently listened to a seminar on project management from a non-profit organization (NPO), and 5 minutes into the seminar, I began hearing the words “ChatGPT”. What surprised me wasn’t the fact that we were talking about AI in a seminar, but that the speaker strongly advocated FOR the usage of ChatGPT. At first, I wondered why AI would be so important to a discussion on project management. However, a strong point that I heard, and was even emphasized in this article by Dr. Bidwell, was the fact that AI allowed for a drastic increase in productivity. As Dr. Bidwell said, we can use AI to our advantage, seeing it as a tool for efficiency, which may open doors to quality time spent on creativity, one concern in your comment!
To provide an example of the above relationship, I will share my following experience.
I volunteered at the same NPO mentioned above, which took place as a tutoring program, and even I could first-hand experience the influence of AI in the workplace. Having ChatGPT do something as simple as creating ELA or Math questions was crucial to the success of the program. As one of the tutors, I quickly noticed how much more quality our tutoring had when we had more time to focus on quality teaching, rather than also creating questions (which took a half hour or more) to challenge the students, while ChatGPT did all that in less than a minute. Having that extra time allowed me to brainstorm extra ways to be creative with my tutoring strategies, which I believe enhanced my human creativity. All in all, I believe there is a correlation between productivity and the humane creativity you speak of due to the presence of AI. Having generative AI by my side proved to be important as the increase in efficiency also lead to more time invested in creativity! Ultimately, having AI to look towards for help brings a whole new meaning to creativity, as it may present more benefits that we as a society have yet to acknowledge!
Even now, graduates and undergraduates from various colleges are working to collaborate and manipulate AI for the better. In fact, my high school was fortunate enough to hear a seminar by an MIT graduate and staff, who brought various important points to the table with AI. His work in using AI and programming to help the disabled was eye-opening, as AI collaboration is not something you see often. For instance, his work in using AI ethically to help amputees with a missing arm was crucial to my current view of AI now. This work of modern AI collaboration soothed my concerns with AI, and I hope they do the same to you as well!
All in all, I believe there is definitely space for human and AI collaboration, and that is something that I am excited to observe the full potential of, especially in the field of creativity, as you suggested!
The increase in the implantation of AI and hybrid work is undoubtedly changing how people do their jobs and approach tasks. As the article highlights, there is often a pessimistic reaction to new technologies. These reactions create concerns about job displacement and the potential for machines to replace humans. However, it is essential to take a step back and carefully analyze the capabilities of AI before making any decisions. Research shows that technological innovations have historically shifted job responsibilities rather than causing jobs to disappear. While an AI can easily replicate tasks done by lawyers, copy editors, and writers, it is unlikely that computers will completely take over all aspects of these professions. The human touch and a high-level understanding of the technology’s limitations will remain valuable.
AI can also lead to increased productivity, a positive outcome for the economy and lacks in third world economies. However, it is essential to ensure that the benefits of AI are distributed fairly without creating a situation where a small group of people exclusively benefit from owning AI models. In contrast, others are left with laborious tasks. It is crucial to consider the potential impact on job distribution and the socioeconomic structure of society. In addition to AI, the pandemic has reshaped how we work, with hybrid or remote work becoming more prevalent. This shift has prompted discussions about where employees can do their best work and has highlighted the importance of interaction and collaboration in the workplace. Different stages of one’s career may require varying levels of in-person interaction, mentorship, and networking opportunities. As the job landscape continues to evolve, it is vital for aspiring professionals, like AI ethicists, to address the ethical implications of AI and ensure its responsible use. Integrating AI and hybrid work offers both opportunities and challenges, and it is up to individuals and organizations to navigate this changing landscape while preserving the value of human creativity, originality, and the integrity of ideas.
AI will most definitely change our world and our professions, but I agree that it will not be able to replicate everything that humans would do and give it that “human touch”. When an AI is directed to do something, there is a limit of how close it can act to a human. Human’s do their jobs because they love the topic or the field, so they will show interest, but an AI will do what it is told, and then stop without even thinking about going above and beyond; because it can’t.
Artificial intelligence cannot replace humans; it can only be a tool. Nowadays, it is impossible to boycott the growth of the AI industry because, as historical records have shown, humans always seek convenient ways to satisfy themselves. For example, driverless cars were initially doubted but eventually became a reality. What we are currently facing is unfamiliar territory, as humans venture into a completely new realm, stepping away from our comfortable bubble. When elevators were first introduced, few people were accustomed to using them due to fear. There even existed a job called “elevator operator” who ensured smooth operation. Similarly, we find ourselves in a similar situation now.
Regardless of how intelligent technology becomes, it remains a tool and not the entity making final decisions. I particularly appreciate what Taylor G said in the comments: “Humanity is a gift.” While AI can often make sound choices by analyzing historical trends and predicting the future, it lacks emotion. Sometimes, the best choices are not solely based on logic. The life we currently have, whether satisfying or not, is a result of both good and bad decisions. We must appreciate and believe that this life is the best one we can have. We have emotions, so we will sometime make bad decisions because we are biased inherently.
This is why people struggle with the “railroad dilemma”; they do not know which path is correct, even though utilitarianism suggests choosing the path with the least harm. However, decisions cannot be easily made because we possess emotions and morality. When you ask ChatGPT the same question, it will explain that it lacks emotions and can only provide information, unable to make choices. Therefore, AI could never replace humans because decisions made by AI lack an essential element: emotions, which are indispensable in human society.
I agree that Artificial Intelligence is a tool that cannot replace human skill. AI lacks emotions, which are essential in decision-making and understanding complex situations. Emotions assist us in considering ethical implications and making choices that align with our values. While AI can analyze data and provide insights, it lacks the situational understanding and emotional intelligence that we humans possess. As we navigate the growth of AI, we must appreciate the unique qualities that make us human, including our emotions and moral judgment. These qualities shape our decision-making and contribute to the richness of human society.
The fundamental difference between the brain and AI is that the brain is not a machine. Machines flourish because of their predictability and reliability. The brain is powerful because it is creative and adaptable. These traits give the brain the ability to process information in many ways in order to come to a solution. AI is great at its specific functions but outside of its capabilities, it is useless. This is why the human brain will stay relevant because of its innovation and wide array of capabilities.
In my personal experience, AI will never be able to take away the jobs of those in the service industry. My work experience in a local ice cream store has taught me that a machine such as AI will never have the social processing that is necessary for this type of job. A customer service job requires people skills which are gained through interactions with other people. Although AI is proficient in other areas, it will never have this learned skill of interacting with people because it isn’t one. AI is not a person and therefore can’t relate to the human experience. Humans crave relatability, something a robot can’t possibly provide. This divide between robot and human will remain, leaving most of our jobs intact.
There have been growing concerns regarding the potential negative impacts of AI advancements, such as job losses and the loss of morality. However, I believe that AI will never completely replace humans. The article states, “Even if the computer is writing most of the code, a high-level understanding of what’s going on there, what code can and can’t do, and when it is working well is valuable.” While AI is an influential tool that can perform tasks that may be complex for humans easily, humans will always play a role in supervising and comprehending the content generated by AI. Our unique qualities, such as creativity and critical thinking, cannot be replicated by AI, which ensures the continual need for humans despite the recent advancements in AI.
The pressing question that is presented in this article is the effects of AI and evolving work schedules on modern-day jobs. But one perspective of these effects that often isn’t talked about enough is the growing amount of people who have become increasingly dependent on these AI and have become accustomed to these new, flexible work schedules. Even students nowadays are using AI resources in order to complete simple tasks which are given to them by their teachers with the intention of helping them grasp a certain concept. Although AI does pose its benefits, I feel as if one of the main perspectives to look at is its impact on the human mindset. We may lose some of our critical thinking and problem solving skills. Sooner or later, it will become natural to rely on AI for everything we do. Everyday work which we currently do will soon be automated which will make us more and more lazy. The human mind by nature wants to do the easiest possible thing or the least amount of work to complete a task. AI simply helps to exhibit such qualities of the human brain as we want to do work in the easiest possible manner and AI does just that. In a nutshell, although the impact of AI on jobs is immense and must be looked at, another perspective that must be viewed is how it will change the human race and how we operate in the future.
Right now I am not thinking about pursuing a career path related to the AI revolution. This is because I lack the relevant knowledge surrounding the workings of AI and its current implication. I also believe AI is going to harm society in unforeseen ways. However, I do believe (since I am interested in pursuing business) that my future job will be in some way impacted or changed by AI.
What worries me about the impact of the explosive growth of AI is two fold: (1) meaningful regulation will be too late and (2) dehumanization. To the first point, I believe by the time serious regulation is implicated on AI it will be too late. The damage will already be done. An example I like to think of – although not very relevant – was the explosion of cryptocurrency exchanges. During their growth, these exchanges had little regulation – in part because it’s tough to grasp how cryptocurrencies work making it hard to regulate. As a result, eager investors dumped their wallets into cryptocurrencies with little warning or guidance. Recently, the SEC has charged Coinbase – a popular cryptocurrency exchange platform – with Operating as an unregistered securities exchange, broker, and clearing Agency. However, the damage has already been done. Investors have already lost their money. And I see this example as being relevant to the explosion in AI. I believe that AI will have unforeseen consequences that will hurt humanity and any regulation that comes will be too late. To the second point, I increasingly feel that the advances in technology are isolating us from one another. AI is great at doing this. With AI, you can have friends but not friendship. AI chatbots – like ChatGBT – are widely popular and people use them for a variety of reasons. I feel AI will reduce the amount of opportunities we have to connect with one another. Instead of going and asking for certain information, you can utilize AI. Instead of having to work with others on a problem, you utilize AI. Will AI always be correct? No, but that’s not the point. The point is that through the work we each complete in our daily lives, we have opportunities to find unexpected joy and connect with other humans – something that is essential to us. Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, recently declared loneliness a new public health epidemic in the US. Studies show isolated individuals live shorter lives. As humans, we need to be around one another to function best. And with AI and the advances of technology it makes it easier to not interact with other humans. That is why I feel AI dehumanizes our world.
Other business systems that I feel might be ready for change – as a result of the pandemic – is the need for retail stores. With the ease of ordering items online to be shipped to your residence, retail stores seem like a waste of money. This was accelerated by the pandemic where everyone had to order online. And once people realized how easy it was to order online they continued. Now, without retail stores you do lose some things. People like retail stores since there will be assistants there that talk with you about your specific needs. Also, if it’s a clothing retail store for example, people like to try on the clothes before they buy them (you can always ship something back, but it’s a hassle). I think this could be solved by creating AI chatbots (likely on retail websites) that you can utilize to find what you need. Again, I feel this change would further isolate us – since now you don’t even have to interact with someone to buy things – but people and companies follow financial incentives where they exist, and this is no different.
The work Nikita Q. hopes to do in the future is paramount and I am grateful for people like Nikita. She is among a growing number of people who are focused on developing AI. And for that I applaud Nikita and others like her.
Artificial Intelligence will be used daily in our future and in order to make it a useful tool, it must be found to work in balance. Many new things like iPhones have been introduced in the last century and each changed the world and our style of living. From newspapers being delivered to now pulling up a device the size of a calculator that can access anything and everything across the globe, this will be a new era of human technology. AI tools like ChatGPT are already commonly found in workplaces and it won’t take long until we become dependent on this tool to do our work. As we move into the future, AI could either become an enormously helpful tool or become a tool that ends with our demise.
I completely agree. Your comment resonates with me since I believe that the balance with AI is key to its proper development and utilization. It all depends on how much leeway we give into it. The more we use it, the more we will depend on it; however, if we can somehow harness it and distance ourselves from it simultaneously, we will be able to achieve great things with this innovation. I also believe that the introduction of AI, although dangerous, will allow organizations such as Girls in Stem, to continue to thrive. Over the past 10 years we have seen an uptrend of women in tech, and with this diversity, advancements in this space of AI are sure to come.
I truly admire Nikita. I do agree with her thoughts that all in all, Artificial Intelligence is an amazing invention that if used in the right way, can boost humans and their workforce. However, it can also cause a loss in jobs and potentially also result in the downfall of humanity. Recently, the speed at which AI is developing, however, has surpassed human development. As such, I also do agree that the development needs to be constrained well such that it is good enough to benefit us but not more than that. I believe that if used carefully enough, AI can be of extreme benefit towards us. I believe that humanity needs more people joining Nikita as AI ethicists such that we develop without the need to worry that these tools will result in our downfall.
I found this article to be incredibly insightful and thought-provoking, and I wholeheartedly agree with Dr. Matthew Bidwell’s argument. Throughout history, the introduction of automation and groundbreaking technologies has often instilled fear in people regarding the potential loss of their jobs. However, as we’ve seen time and again, these advancements have not only created new opportunities but have also expanded the labor market in related fields. In my view, Artificial Intelligence represents a paradigm shift on par with the industrial revolutions of the past.
The emergence of ChatGPT and the immense possibilities it offers merely scratches the surface of what AI can accomplish. I firmly believe that AI has the potential to become the next “Internet,” revolutionizing various industries and transforming the way we live and work. The remarkable growth of stocks like $NVDA since the beginning of the AI boom further exemplifies the growing interest and investment in this field.
Adapting and effectively utilizing AI tools can provide individuals with a significant advantage over their peers. Just as in the early days of the internet, those who possess a deep understanding of AI and can harness its capabilities to achieve maximum efficiency will be at the forefront of innovation and success. The importance of acquiring AI expertise cannot be overstated, as it empowers individuals to navigate the evolving job market and seize the opportunities presented by this transformative technology.
Furthermore, I applaud Nikita’s pursuit of a career in AI legislation and ethics. It is a crucial aspect that should not be overlooked. Even the co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, acknowledges the potential dangers and misuses of AI and emphasizes the need for robust regulations in this domain. As Uncle Ben famously said, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” It is incumbent upon us to ensure that the incredible power of AI is wielded responsibly, ethically, and in a manner that safeguards humanity’s well-being.
In fact, this comment has been collaboratively crafted with the assistance of an AI, helping me to articulate my opinions more effectively. At the end of the day, it’s just a tool.
I think that the answers to the questions that Nikita poses in her endeavor to understand Artificial Intelligence may be the key tenet to understanding how AI will transform the economic sphere.
As mentioned in the article above, recent news about the AI boom, or the “I’m going to lose my job to robots,” has taken the world by storm with the advent of generative AI. This isn’t the first time, however, that people have been against innovation in hopes of preserving their jobs. The Luddite movement, which Dr. Lynn Wu cites in her podcast, saw textile workers protest against the mechanization of the industry in fear of machines taking their jobs. However, there arose the concept of the Luddite fallacy, wherein machines did not displace workers in the long term. We also see Dr. Matthew Bidwell pose an acute argument against the popular doomsday assumptions, trying to quell pessimists.
Since ChatGPT made its debut, people have clamored to see it in action, myself included. This has allowed the site to receive over 100 million active users. Of course, similar curious students also rushed to explore the creation.
“Guys, have you heard of that new ChatGPA thing?”
“Bro no, it’s called ChatGDP. Get it right. I heard that the teachers can’t call you out for plagiarism anymore!”
Hindsight is 20/20: that was naive optimism. Nowadays, we have software that scans articles for AI text. It’s rare that I don’t see anti-plagiarism policies that forbid the use of ChatGPT. Now that GPT-4 has made its appearance, I think it is important to contemplate the good and the bad that AI will bring, drawing from the concepts mentioned above. Of course, I am but a high school student, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
We know that economics is about resource application in satisfying unlimited wants with limited resources (cue our AP economics students.) Thus from a macro-perspective, AI can boost total factor productivity. As Dr. Bidwall remarks, “[…]AI makes us more productive; if it’s quicker to do things, we can get more done.” Adoption of AI should increase the Solow residual, triggering economic growth and increased output (ceteris paribus, can’t forget that.) As a whole, this seems great for the economy, but a chunk of workers will be structurally unemployed.
I think the key to besting job loss in the age of AI is to be creative. If human capital is changed to accommodate the influx of easy-access information, then people just need to find new ways to apply that information. However, if a lot of information is omitted for future generations and laid off directly to generative AI, interim gears of the economy can halt. Right now, those jobs are being handled by the middle class. I can see a future where the middle class is “decimated by robots” or “[hollows] out middle-class work,” as Dr. Wu proposed, increasing social inequality.
The documentary “In the Age of AI” by Frontline PBS mentions the arms race with China in terms of AI progression. Growing up in Hong Kong, I have seen China’s increasing encroachment on the freedoms of citizens. While a top-down governance system can help deal with issues quickly and without much impedance, it can also limit citizen privilege and their subsequent happiness. I hope that AI does not exacerbate that issue.
As we move forward at this accelerating pace, my hope is that AI ethicists like Nakita can efficiently create the infrastructure that allows AI and humans to work side by side. Thank you, Ms. Drake and Nikita!
Hello Nicholas,
Your perspective on the rise of AI and its implications is very insightful. You draw interesting comparisons between historical instances like the Luddite movement and the current anxiety around AI job displacement. The Luddite fallacy you mentioned, where innovation ultimately led to a transformation of roles rather than the complete elimination of jobs, provides a hopeful lens through which we can view the rise of AI.
However, I’d like to offer a slightly different viewpoint on your assertion about overcoming job loss in the AI era through creativity. You suggest that if human capital is reshaped to accommodate the influx of easily accessible information, people simply need to find new ways to apply that information. While creativity will undoubtedly play a crucial role in navigating the AI age, I think it’s important to consider the potential limitations of this approach.
Firstly, it assumes a level of adaptability and resourcefulness that may not be universally accessible. Not everyone has equal access to education or resources necessary to repurpose their skills or apply information creatively. Secondly, it potentially undervalues the roles and contributions of people whose strengths lie outside of typically ‘creative’ domains. We need to ensure we’re building a future of work that respects and values a broad range of skills and aptitudes, not only those that are deemed most compatible with the AI age.
Your point about the potential hollowing out of the middle class and the increase of social inequality is quite poignant. As AI systems become more efficient and capable, businesses could leverage these technologies to improve operational efficiencies, reduce costs, and enhance product quality, all of which can positively impact the bottom line. Furthermore, new sectors and industries could emerge around AI technology and create new job opportunities. On the other hand, the widespread adoption of AI could disrupt labor markets, leading to job displacement and increased income inequality, particularly if AI systems displace more jobs than they create, or if the new jobs require skills that the existing workforce does not possess. In an economy that is increasingly knowledge-based, the wealth generated by AI could become concentrated in the hands of a few, thereby exacerbating wealth inequality. Therefore, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and businesses have to carefully navigate these potential pitfalls.
Your observations about AI progression and the arms race with China also add an interesting dimension to the conversation. Indeed, we must consider the global implications of AI, not just its local or industry-specific impacts. The potential influence on citizen freedoms, privilege, and happiness is something that will need careful thought and action.
As we move forward, the role of AI ethicists like Nikita will be critical in creating the infrastructure that allows AI and humans to work side by side. However, it’s also incumbent on all of us to engage in these conversations, to challenge our assumptions and to consider the broad range of impacts that AI might have on our society.
Thank you, Nicholas, for your thoughtful contribution to this discussion. Your insights are quite valuable as we grapple with the exciting, yet challenging, future of AI.
Nicholas, while perusing the other comments posted below the article, I was struck by the insightful perspective you presented in your exhaustive and sincere analysis, as well as your presentation of a solution to the article’s opinion. Your comments highlight a crucial issue concerning our society’s current approach to the introduction of artificial intelligence. I believe your experience with the introduction of AI provides invaluable insight into the problems faced by individuals whose livelihoods are eliminated by AI. Regarding these issues, I have thoroughly considered your points and would like to offer my opinion on some of your arguments.
Nowadays, ChatGPT plays a significant role in our lives, enabling us to access accurate information swiftly and efficiently. However, it falls short of fully fulfilling its purpose. For example, when I questioned the Wharton School, it erroneously provided information about Penn State University’s Business School, leading to confusion. Moreover, it occasionally relies on data from dubious sources like Wikipedia, which can be concerning.
To enhance the wisdom of ChatGPT or AI, individuals must adapt the information they provide. This process of refinement generates new occupations as AI technology advances. While you raised a concern regarding the potential increase in social inequality due to AI development, it’s important to note that the emergence of new industries and job roles can lead to a broader range of employment opportunities and foster economic growth, potentially reducing inequality. Additionally, as you said in the remark, “AI has the potential to increase overall productivity” By automating monotonous jobs like information research, individuals are free to concentrate on more creative work.
Despite our different perspectives on AI’s influence on social equality, I wholeheartedly agree with your notion about how AI has the potential to significantly enhance total factor productivity. By automating routine tasks, AI can lead to improved decision-making. Its capacity to handle repetitive and mundane duties that don’t require human ingenuity or problem-solving skills can boost overall output and efficiency. This, in turn, allows human workers to dedicate their efforts to more critical and challenging tasks. Moreover, AI systems’ speed and scalability enable them to efficiently process and analyze vast amounts of data, facilitating the identification of patterns, offering valuable insights, and making data-driven recommendations that greatly aid in decision-making processes. Such beneficial effects of AI will not only boost productivity but also help humans to focus solely on critical thinking processes.
Furthermore, I believe that AI’s impact goes beyond economic productivity and job roles; it also influences citizen privilege and happiness. Through personalized recommendation algorithms and adaptable interfaces, AI can cater information, entertainment, and experiences to specific individual interests, thereby increasing satisfaction and pleasure. Additionally, AI-powered automation streamlines various procedures, saving people valuable time and effort. For example, smart home devices like Google Nest or iRobot Vacuum cleaners not only make daily chores more efficient but also bring pleasure by reducing tedious tasks. Moreover, AI solutions contribute to optimizing transportation networks, enhancing security measures, and facilitating various aspects of daily life. These advancements improve overall efficiency and enhance the happiness of citizens by enabling a more streamlined and personalized experience.
Since you also raised concerns about the potential decimation of the middle class by robots in the future, to prevent such a scenario, I think the introduction of the Democratization of AI is crucial, making it accessible to the middle class and those living in poverty. Businesses and governments hold the responsibility of addressing the risks of social inequality that could arise from AI advancement. Social inequality not only poses significant risks to businesses but can also lead to political instability, disruption of supply chains, and a decline in consumer spending, negatively impacting the entire country.
One way to tackle this issue is for the government to subsidize corporations in adopting AI systems. By doing so, it can help prevent political instability and supply chain disruptions while also encouraging economic growth and a more equitable distribution of benefits.
AI can also play a transformative role in underdeveloped countries where access to electricity is limited. By leveraging AI to identify optimal locations for wind turbines and solar panels based on data about wind patterns and sun radiation levels, these countries can harness renewable energy sources more efficiently. Access to dependable and affordable energy not only empowers communities to escape poverty but also encourages small enterprises to thrive and offer essential services to their communities. Ultimately, increased access to electricity leads to higher living standards for all individuals in these regions.
While AI’s potential impact on the middle class and social inequality raises valid concerns, proactive measures like democratizing AI access and leveraging AI for sustainable energy solutions can pave the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future for everyone. The responsible and thoughtful integration of AI into our societies holds the key to maximizing its benefits while mitigating potential challenges.
Hey Nicholas,
I enjoyed reading your perspective on the current AI situation and your reflection on how AI might transform the economy. I agree with your insight that the rapid development of AI might threaten the position of the middle class, as historical cases of technological developments show. However, I think your perspective may be a bit formulaic. Technological advancement equals middle class suffering may not necessarily be true.
Firstly, though the development of AI obsoletes numerous jobs, like how [Creative Destruction] denotes, it will simultaneously create new industries and job opportunities. According to the World Economic Forum, starting from 2023 to 2027, approximately 83 million jobs will be lost, while 69 million new jobs will be created. The job loss caused by AI can be compensated for by the improvment in economic well-being that will result from wide-spread AI implementation in our wokrforce.
What’s more, MIT economist and tech contrarian David Autor urges that changing our perspectives on the methods of AI usage might even bolster the middle class – for instance, transforming AI into a “worker complementary technology” that democratizes access to high-value tasks typically reserved for elite professionals. The modern AI’s ability to generate hyper-realistic content and provide guidance for inexperienced individuals can enable less-experienced workers to perform more complex and valuable work. This form of hybrid work can bring higher wages and better career prospects to those without advanced degrees, revitalizing the middle-skill, middle-class labor market. Changing the perspective of AI usage into using them as a “worker complementary technology” will fortify the middle-class stronghold.
Lastly, EdTech platforms like Khan Academy use AI to provide personalized learning experiences to students worldwide, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Previously, high-caliber education were only available at private schools and prestigious universities, which are difficult for low-income families to access. The development of these AI platforms can prevent the widening of the income gap caused by difference in access to education. AI allows personalized education to be affordable to many.
Yes, I certainly agree with your insight into how AI can be ambivalent and how it might affect the middle class, inducing intensified authoritarian control similar to your home country. I have also lived in Shanghai China for 5 years during COVID-19 times, so your concern sinks into me. Therefore I submit to the statement that people should strive to be more creative. The key is to foster creativity and adaptability in human capital. People should refrain from complacency, believing they will remain unaffected, and instead, prepare for upcoming changes and innovations. They should actively develop their creativity and seek to define the direction of their future to determine how they will secure their positions.
Diana, I believe that you and Dr. Bidwell have made a captivating point on the potential future economic impacts of AI and the would-be ‘automation revolution’. I believe that many assume that automation would only increase the quality of life for people everywhere, but as an analytical mind living in one of the most futuristic cities in the world(New York), it is clear that it isn’t the case.
I’ve seen many shows in which a physical labor worker – perhaps an assembly-line worker – gets replaced by a shiny new robot, leaving them without a job and unable to support their family. In the real world, these decisions make a lot of sense for the companies because they are not obligated to pay a robot a reasonable wage, (or even an unreasonable wage), provide insurance, raise morale with office parties, remember birthdays, decide promotions, debate about lay-offs, or give paid leave. In assembly-line work, they are less prone to fatigue and errors. Presented as such, it’s possible to argue that automation is actually a blessing, freeing workers from the gruesome reality of wasting their life away doing the same thing over and over just to make ends meet and allowing them to pursue ‘greater achievement’.
However, the real danger lies in AI. There have been extremely significant progress in the recent development of artificial intelligences, even to the point of companies placing restrictions on their bot’s learning capabilities in order to keep their reputation, and they are behaving more and more like human minds. Currently, the difference between a human and a machine in workplace environments revolves around leadership, decision-making, and empathy. Learning algorithms like ChatGPT (which was created less than a year ago) are quickly becoming as capable as a real human mind in reasoning while having the entire internet (120 trillion gigabytes) to scour for answers to any question out there(compared to the estimated 2.5 million gigabytes of a human). If AI can take over managerial positions, it can use its superior statistical, analytical, and non-biased knowledge to make the best possible decisions in, say, a sudden drop in stock prices due to a market recession. It can also use these traits proactively to “predict” the future in a way that would take a human team days of research and speculation.
It may seem like a pipe dream, but the adoption of AI is happening at a scary pace. Millions of people have already downloaded the ChatGPT app and companies like Google and Microsoft are developing their own language models Once there is no longer a use for managers or even CEOs, I can imagine a massive wealth gap developing between primary shareholders (who ironically already use algorithms and AI to predict and perfectly buy low/sell high) and everyone else.
Currently, the potential of AI in professional applications is still largely untapped. Some may call it paranoia, but given the recent developments, it’s no surprise that people are concerned about the implications of a potential AI takeover. If AI has already revolutionized professions in the creative field(such as AI-generated art and AI photograph enhancement) in just a few short years, what will the future hold?
I have to disagree with following historical trends for future developments in AI. To begin with, AI is an unprecedented development. True, previous innovations have increased productivity to the point that responsibilities have shifted dramatically. Honestly, innovations like the internet, telephones, and even factory production can be argued to have an even larger impact on productivity than AI ever will. The issue with the argument that AI will follow historical precedent is that AI is taking jobs from the top down. The first jobs taken by AI are actually the jobs that would be suitable for white collar workers like writers, developers, coders, and lawyers. These jobs require years of training to begin to grasp at and despite ai’s lack of depth into these jobs, it can still do the grunt work that requires technical skill. This “grunt work” like writing basic code, samples for articles, etc all still require a technical understanding from a mass of workers. The highly educated white collar workers can now be replaced with AI.The article talks about how AI will resolve this issue by making it so that instead of focusing on the “bulk work,” people simply need to apply a “human touch” to make these completed tasks from AI to an actual product.The problem is, the level of human intervention required to utilize these grunt work will only take a fraction of the educated workforce currently employed to do the grunt work. Compared to previous innovations, the spread of labor cannot expand outwards, as the requirements to access and utilize AI requires a high level of knowledge.I fear that AI will separate society further with a small subsection who can harness AI standing at the top, while those who cannot must work in unskilled jobs. The article calls this a sci-fi scenario, but I feel it is a realistic proposition.
What’s more, AI is massively versatile while developing at break-neck pace. We can see the transition from chat gpt-3 to chat gpt 4 in just under 3 years, Self driving cars being launched in the thousands, and even AI showing capabilities in medical diagnosis. If we look at previous technological innovations, they often have one great focus, which helps prevent the waves of change from disrupting everything at once. We can see this even in the most intense productivity shifts in history. The internet, which is a peer to AI in versatility still took decades to reach its current omnipresence and because of that, the job market could adapt positively.Look at something like magazines and printed media.Even now they still exist and are slowly being phased out. The market adapts with people now writing on the internet for online magazines. Ai on the other hand is different.It doesn’t ask those writers to transition. It just writes the articles itself. Watching the leaps it took in abstract fields like art, and technical fields like coding, the progress is remarkable. What time is there for the market to react? The development of AI coupled with its versatility is the perfect storm to knock out hundreds of millions of jobs(300 million according to a Goldman Sachs estimate) and increase economic inequality.
I agree with your point that AI could lead to terrifying levels of inequality. AI is a very complex technology, and it can likely work more efficiently and accurately than many humans. However, I want to focus on the jobs it actually can “take.” You mentioned that it would do the grunt work and humans would just add their “human touch.” I think that it may not change the workforce as much as we think it will because people don’t trust AI. As an aspiring lawyer, I would like to focus on that example.
Imagine that you were getting sued, and you went to a law firm to represent you. This law firm assigns you an average lawyer, and you find out that they are not doing research on your case themselves. They are not writing the motions or scouring the internet – a computer is. Would you still trust this lawyer? Let’s not forget about the lawyer who tried to use AI to write his case for him, and he cited past cases that did not even exist.
As Harvey Specter from Suits says, “Don’t play the odds. Play the man.” He’s talking about how cases are not always won or lost based on the facts, but on the people and emotions they have. An abundance of jobs are about human connections, so while AI may eventually take jobs, I don’t think most of them are going anywhere for the time being.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), since its inception in the 1950s, has undergone remarkable development over the past 70 years. This progress has not only resulted in significant productivity improvements but has also transformed machines from passive production tools into creators of something new. However, amidst the awe-inspiring growth of AI, there are those who perceive it as a looming threat. They argue that AI’s rapid advancements will soon lead to the replacement of human roles. Yet, in her article, Dr. Bidwell counters this assumption, asserting that humans tend to overestimate technology’s capabilities and that the likelihood of humans being replaced by AI is slim. She emphasizes that historical evidence shows automation has shifted job responsibilities rather than making them disappear entirely.
However, I find myself highly skeptical of Dr. Bidwell’s argument, given my personal connection to an employee heavily involved in the field of artificial intelligence. Three years ago, my father experienced firsthand the significant impact of technology. He worked as a programmer for a game company that was struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Just weeks before my father lost his job, the company announced that AI would replace certain positions due to budget constraints. As an AI programmer, my father initially felt secure about his job. Unfortunately, he too became a victim of technological advancement. The following months were arduous for my family, and the memory of May 21st, 2020, the day my father was laid off, remains vivid in my mind. I called my father that evening to inquire if he would be having dinner at home. The weight of his response was palpable. “No, I’ll be late today. Son, you know I love you, right?” he asked repeatedly, his voice growing heavy with grief as if holding back tears. The expression on his face when he delivered the news remains etched in my memory.
In the face of adversity, my father resolved to find employment once again. However, during the pandemic, securing a new position proved to be a daunting task. As AI advanced, the need for a multitude of programmers diminished, as a few skilled individuals could modify existing code. To stand out in the job market, my father realized he needed an exceptional understanding of programming. He delved into papers such as M. Whittaker’s ‘AI Now Report 2018’ and Daniel E. O’Leary’s ‘Artificial Intelligence and Big Data’ to deepen his knowledge. Once his studies were complete, he set out to create a program that would showcase his abilities to potential employers. Together, we brainstormed ideas, taking into account my Instagram following of nearly ten thousand users. Recognizing the challenges faced by people in procuring masks during the pandemic, we decided to develop an app that would display the remaining mask quantities at nearby shops—a solution that could aid individuals in need. Within weeks, the app was completed and garnered significant attention in our country. Numerous articles featured our creation, with one article from ‘Jeolla Illbo’ receiving over 10,000 likes on Facebook. Although the app had minor glitches such as delayed updates and slow loading, it proved highly beneficial for citizens in search of masks. As a result, my father was able to secure a position at an IT company twice the size of his previous employer.
From my perspective, the replacement of humans by AI has already begun. Since its inception, technology has steadily surpassed humans in time-consuming and repetitive labor. The reason humans continue to be employed is that machines previously relied on human assistance. However, the emergence of AI grants machines the ability to produce independently, thus posing a threat to numerous blue-collar jobs. According to the BBC, automation is projected to result in up to 800 million job losses by 2030. White-collar professions are not exempt from this threat either. AI’s capacity to process vast amounts of information in a shorter timeframe surpasses human capabilities. Once AI acquires the ability to generate new ideas based on this information, the careers of white-collar workers will also be at risk. CBS News reports that in May 2023, nearly 4,000 employees in the technological field lost their jobs due to AI development. With AI-induced unemployment on the rise, it is evident that AI will have a massive impact on the future of work.
Through my personal experience, I have come to realize that technological advancement does not always yield positive outcomes. AI has reached a stage where it possesses creative thinking abilities, making it a genuine threat to human labor. However, this is only the beginning. As AI continues to advance, its influence will inevitably grow stronger. It is crucial to remain aware of the current state of AI development and approach the situation from a critical perspective. Moreover, it is imperative to identify and maintain distinct roles that AI cannot replace.
Yehoon, I am happy to see your father’s hardships soon recovered. However, although it is true that the rise of technology has taken away thousands of jobs throughout the twentieth and twenty first centuries, I think your father’s case is disputable. It is essential to consider the broader context of the actual impact of AI on employment rather than blindly believing a story of AI replacement of jobs, which might not capture the whole picture.. There ais evidence suggesting that AI is not as advanced and threatening as it is often perceived to be in today’s society.
In the article, Dr. Wu states, “We found that robots did not replace human workers,” highlighting that the integration of AI into workplaces has not led to one-to-one replacement of human jobs. For now, technology has only replaced workers in factories, such as conveyor belts, Automated Guided Vehicles, 3D printers, packaging machines, etc. However, even after the introduction of these robots, human workers are still needed in order to regulate and control how these robots work in the industry. The reason why these robots were introduced is to prevent detrimental accidents and for the safety of human laborers. This usage of technology is analogous to how AI is used in modern day industries. While AI helps with easier and faster data entries, calculations, customer service, etc, they all need humans to control and watch over them in order to process all these works. Automation and AI often take over repetitive and mundane tasks, while allowing humans to focus more on complex, creative, and strategic roles that require human involvement. Thus, your father was able to secure a job again as he built skills in handling AI and utilizing it in workplaces.
Moreover, the pandemic did strike our economy and led many industries to a decline in productivity, bringing about a myriad of economic challenges for companies around the world. Many businesses faced severe financial constraints, which led to budget cuts and layoffs of their workers. The decision of your father’s company to replace his position with AI can be seen as only a cost saving measures to save money during difficult times.It is important to separate unique circumstances such as COVID-19 from the general trajectory of AI development.
Furthermore, while it is true that AI and automation can lead to job displacement, it is equally true that they can create new job opportunities and even entire industries that didn’t exist before. According to the World Economic Forum, while AI could displace 75 million jobs by 2022, it is also projected to create 133 million new roles, ranging from AI specialists to data analysts to creative and strategic roles that require human ingenuity.
While your father’s experience highlights a real and personal impact of AI on employment, it is essential to view this within the broader context of technological advancement. AI is not an imminent threat to all jobs but a transformative tool that, when harnessed correctly, can lead to new opportunities and industries.
I appreciate how you openly shared a family experience dealing with the rise of AI. I hope the relationship between AI and employment continues to improve and evolve in a way that benefits humans sustainably. I am grateful to you and the effort you have put into your comment!
AI, short for artificial intelligence, is a broad field that consists of a wide range of technologies and capabilities. It’s a strong and convenient tool that’s able to do various tasks. As to its convenience, it can potentially automate some tasks that are used to be performed by humans. Therefore, AI is able to increase efficiency and reduce the need for human intervention.
However, I do not believe AI can fully replace humans. AI is fed with all different data, where it generates different data to come up with a coherent response. I believe AI cannot achieve different accomplishments as humans. Its lack of creativity stops them from doing so.
As for my personal experience, I have had a few encounters with the use of AI before. I have seen AI being used to create various kinds of art. For myself, I have always had a deep passion for drawing and towards the world of art. Drawing allows me to express my emotions, thoughts, and standpoint in a way that words often cannot. So, when I heard about the growing influence of AI in the art world, I couldn’t help but explore its potential impact. Therefore, when I saw how AI was able to generate exquisite art in seconds, I was shocked by the elegance of the outcomes. Especially when you can’t really identify the difference between art produced by an AI or a human until you look closely. After that, I wondered, since AI can create artworks so quickly and efficiently. Is there still a need for me to develop my drawing skills, since the AI can do much better and quicker than me?
Despite the efficiency of AI in art, this tool uses advanced technologies to analyze a wide collection of images, art styles, and techniques. It generates unique artworks based on the users’ choice, blending human artworks with AI. However, the AI-generated art is a combination of all different artists’ work. It lacks depth, emotion, and human touch. It’s like a cold corpse being sutured together with body parts coming from different people.
We have to understand that art is an expression of human experiences, emotions, and perspectives. It demonstrates the unique point of view made by artists who draw from their backgrounds, cultures, and values. AI, on the other hand, works through computation and data processing. It lacks creativity, thought, and emotional aspects in human-created art. In fact, I think a lot of people who are using AI-generated art don’t realize that what they’re doing is an exploitation of artists, who put in a lot of hard work when creating their art. Artists may find their own work incorporated into AI-generated art without their approval, which affects their control over their creative output. This can discourage artists from creating more art.
Last but not least, I believe it is important to ensure the ethical use of AI tools. Artists should also have firm control over their creations and maintain a critical perspective when combining AI into their art practices.
The exponential growth of AI raises legitimate concerns regarding job displacement, inequality, ethical considerations, human skills and fulfillment, and social implications. Many individuals are troubled by the notion that AI and automation could result in climbing unemployment rates and widening income inequality as machines gradually take over tasks traditionally handled by human workers across multiple industries. Moreover, there is a genuine worry that the excessive monopolization of AI models by a limited group could lead to a significant redistribution of wealth, further exacerbating the divide between the rich and the poor. Additionally, the responsible implementation of AI must address pressing ethical issues encompassing privacy infringement, bias, and accountability, ensuring fair and ethical practices. The deep-rooted shift towards structural alterations in work arrangements, coupled with the necessary adaptations of skills, and the society-wide repercussions associated with deploying advanced artificial intelligence, solidify the collective apprehensions held.
The pandemic has emphasized the need to reimagine traditional business systems and approaches to work. With this in mind, similarly to Nikita, I was inspired by the desire to ensure responsible and ethical AI practices. Which is why I started to learn the process of making an Artificial Intelligence that could learn from its pass experiences (Case-Base Reasoning; CBR). However, I must admit that creating a AI from scratch was quite difficult since I had no resources that I could understand or use to create a CBR AI model. Nevertheless, I eventually learned how to create said AI (although extremely glitchy and also unusable). Regardless, the entire process of creating a AI from start to finish allowed me to understand the adoption of remote work models alongside hybrid setups. It showcased the potential for more flexible arrangements that could prompt organizations to reassess the necessity of physical office spaces. Moreover, digital transformation, data analytics, and cybersecurity have gained significant relevance as businesses adjust to an increasingly interconnected world driven by technology. By embracing AI and automation in various operational domains, such as decision-making procedures and customer service endeavors, untapped transformative capacities can be realized. Navigating this dynamic landscape shaped by AI and emerging technologies will require businesses to display agility by welcoming innovation while diligently addressing the evolving needs of employees and society as a whole.
I fully agree with the concerns and considerations expressed in your opinion regarding the exponential growth of AI. Job mobility, income inequality, and ethical implications are important issues to address as AI continues to evolve. I think your experience that you have learned how to create an AI model using Case-Base Reasoning (CBR) is very unique and amazing even if you struggled when you studied. Indeed, the process of understanding and implementing AI can be difficult, but it is important to ensure that these technologies are developed responsibly and ethically. The pandemic has highlighted the need for companies to rethink their traditional systems and practices. Embracing remote work models and hybrid settings can give employees more flexibility while reducing reliance on physical office space. These changes are essential for organizations to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world, with the adoption of digital transformation, data analytics, and cybersecurity.
Also, companies should be aware of the potential impact on employment as they integrate AI and automation into their operational areas and take steps to improve and retool their employees to meet the changing needs of the job market. In addition, ethical considerations such as privacy, prejudice, and accountability must be at the forefront of AI development to ensure fair and equitable practices. It should be remembered that responsible implementation of AI must take into account ethical concerns, job movements, and social impacts. It is important to strike a balance between embracing technological advances and ensuring that these developments benefit everyone and do not exacerbate existing inequalities or ethical issues. Overall, exploring the dynamic environment that AI and new technologies shape requires agility, innovation, and a firm commitment to meet the needs of employees and society as a whole. By embracing AI responsibly and ethically, companies can realize the innovative potential of these technologies while addressing the social challenges they present.
I do not fully support Nikita for recognizing that we have entered a life-changing era of computer-generated intelligence, embracing the transformative power of AI as she envisions our future employment. The AI revolution is not just informing what we pursue as a profession, but also how we do the work once we get there. AI is one of two powerful forces that is reshaping the future of the workplace, and the other is hybrid or remote options.
People often think that they can be replaced in their working places if AI can potential change their job and life but what they don’t realise is that if it changes your job then there are new jobs available in the new changing world. But AI can also be harmful in term of leaking private information as people can make AI and can also hack AI the same way.
Therefore, my conclusion is that we should use AI responsible and not telling it private information that can harm ourself and the world in which we live in. for the sake of ourself. You can use AI Tools like chat gtp but do not rely on them completely as they can also share wrong information to us.
That is a fair outlook Divynash. The way I see it, AI, like anything else, can be used for good and for bad. That is why we must develop the mainstream technology in the most ethical way we can. There is no stopping this tidal wave of exploration. The last comment you made about not fully relying on AI is important to be aware of. Similar to misinformation on the internet, AI can also have false information, even if it’s unintentional. So, in the same way we are with every other piece of technology, we must be wary.
I think that the A.I robots could change are jobs by making the job way easier.
for example
” Dr. Wu’s research does just that, analyzing the effects of robot adoption on employment at the company level. She draws some conclusions about whether businesses lay more people off because technology promises to do their jobs more efficiently, or they hire more people to operate and support these technologies.”
The convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the rise of hybrid work models has brought about unprecedented changes in the way we approach jobs and workplaces. This article delves into the ways AI and hybrid work are reshaping various aspects of employment, from job roles to work environments.AI is no longer a distant concept; it’s becoming an integral part of many job roles. Discuss how AI is enhancing tasks, automating routine processes, and allowing employees to focus on more creative and strategic aspects of their work.
“Every time we see a technology that could potentially change the way we work, change our lives, there’s a human visceral reaction to it”
I agree with this statement from Lynn Wu. We, as humans who created this technology, have to be one step ahead of the technology so we can still keep up with its development because we need to make new innovations every time so we can live easier. With human visceral reaction, we can realize that technology is slowly making its way ahead of us, replacing our work, and changing our lives. So we have to try our best to increase our IQ and creativity so we aren’t fully replaced by robots and AI and we can still get a job. The disadvantage is that some people might lose their jobs, and some jobs might be useless in the future, so humans also need to know about the jobs that will be replaced.
“I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer, but I didn’t really have a path in mind. With the release of ChatGPT and the recent AI explosion, a new possibility showed up,” This is a very interesting quote, I agree with this. AI is rapidly improving and I’m rather worried about how it will affect our planet. It may replace many human jobs in the future and the unemployment rate will probably rise if this is the case. It shows how people will have less paths to choose between, since AI will be able to do most of these jobs if it keeps improving at this rate. But there are just some jobs that I think AI won’t be able to do. Jobs that require high emotional intelligence like therapists are unlikely to be replaced by AI.
A.I has been helping us alot throughout the pandemic but still we, humans need to be ahead of A.I. We cannot depend everything to A.I. Thats is why we still need to learn more. It is true that A.I can help our lives become easier but it makes some people lose jobs so we need to study more and be ahead of the A.I
In my perspective, we don’t need to regard AI as our enemy in finding a job because not all jobs can be replaced by AI. Ai can indeed think quickly and accurately, but Ai has no feelings. all work requires feeling in it, like artists and teachers. for jobs that can be replaced by AI, we must still be able to work without seeing AI as a competitor, but we must try to utilize AI in this work. After all, wouldn’t it be easier if there were robots that could help us? remember, “help”, not take over completely. So, we should be able to think smartly to adapt to the times.
I agree with the quote, “…robots do not replace human workers,” which was said by Dr. Wu after she conducted loads of tests. Robots were created with the sole purpose of assisting workers. They were made by humans to work for humans. If we were smart enough to create these robots, we could tame them well. Robots will never be able to replace humans because although chat GPT and AI are amazing resources for us, they will never be able to replicate human traits. Though AI is a more productive source, I still believe that it cannot take over. We show so many emotions that these robots will never be able to portray.
AI cannot express creativity. I recently watched a video where a boss fired all of his employees because, to him, AI would be able to dominate the world. Presentations that took weeks for his employees to make took AI seconds. So, everyone packed their bags and left. He was horribly mistaken by the fact that AI would be faster and more efficient at everything. Within a couple of days, he started to realize that he was losing customers at a rapid speed. Managers and workers took their business elsewhere because presentations created by AI simply lacked the creativeness one would need to be innovative. Suddenly, “his” ideas were just like everyone else’s in the market. Nothing was new. “You can switch your manufacturer.” or “This product is horrible.” Simply, AI provided no better solution than what was already on the market. On the other hand, his former employees started their own company, believing that AI can’t replace people. They made presentations like never seen before. “Going vegan will help you gain customers! It’ll only cost you 5 cents more per unit, but customers would be willing to pay up to a dollar more!” Ideas like this help businesses feel different.
Humans cannot be replaced due to the lack of emotional intelligence from the AI’s. Replicating emotional intelligence is quite different from replicating human intelligence. Information comes from the internet. “This product is sharp,” “This only costs 15 dollars.” These are facts. They won’t change from person to person. Now, if AI knows the same, if not more than what humans know, why can’t AI sell things? Why won’t people buy from AI? They lack emotional intelligence! AI cannot convince people why something is worth buying. They can only give you the facts. Good or bad. Humans use strategies like experience, looking through reviews, etc. Everyone has their own story from experience. AI doesn’t. A human can tell you if this is a good starting bike to ride for toddlers, but AI can only tell you the facts, such as how many people didn’t like it, how many did, how many thought it was dumb, and how many thought it was clever. There’s no experience or story behind it!
Lastly, AI lacks teamwork. Nothing great can be accomplished with just one person. Apple was founded by two dropouts. Microsoft was created by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. AI doesn’t have the required skills to communicate, put thoughts together, and create something that incorporates more than its own idea, found off the internet’s statistics. Without teamwork, not that it would help too much because two systems trying to compare online data is not helpful; nothing will be learned at all. When people come together, ideas are always better. Ideas come from experience. At the end of the day, it’s not the more data you know; it’s the experience. If your slime business failed, and your friend’s jewelry business succeeded, your friend might’ve found how to get out of a loophole you’re stuck in. That’s the definition of teamwork and experience, and AI will never be able to manipulate that. Therefore, AI will not be able to replace workers.
Regarding the effects of artificial intelligence on the workplace and job opportunities, Wharton professor Dr. Lynn Wu states, “Every time we see a technology that could potentially change the way we work, change our lives, there’s a human visceral reaction to it. We tend to overestimate what the technology can do, and we think, ‘I’m going to lose my job now.’ It’s really important to take a step back and figure out what that technology is doing before we make any decisions.”
As a high school student in the A.I. era, I don’t quite understand the “human visceral reaction” to platforms like ChatGPT because, frankly, I don’t have any sort of office job being potentially threatened. Because of this, I– and so many teenagers– are purely optimistic about new technology and the opportunities that it offers rather than the ones that may be taken away. Given that Dr. Wu’s research “found that robots did not replace human workers,” I believe it’s safe to say that Gen Z’s optimism may be the best approach for embracing the ever-growing industry of AI.
In my high school, ChatGPT was banned and restricted on our wifi within days of being released to the public. While from an administrative standpoint, this may have been the best choice at the time, I don’t believe that constricting students’ access to such technologies is a long-term plan of action.
The world is evolving, and the innovation of new technologies will not stop– it won’t even slow down. So, instead of doing everything in their power to keep us from utilizing A.I. as a resource, I believe that young people should be taught how to use it to our advantage. But we’re just kids, can’t do this alone! We need to be guided towards a path where we work hand in hand with new technology, in such a way where it doesn’t hinder our development or learning process, but in a way where it can enhance that process and ultimately make us more productive as a generation and as a society.
It’s in the best interest of our entire civilization if members of the education industry follow Dr. Wu’s instructions. Take a step back, figure out how this can help us, and then approach artificial intelligence with optimism. There are endless possibilities, we just need to find the right approach.
Hi Matthew,
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful perspective on using AI technologies in today’s day and age. I agree with your nuanced approach to using AI and that it also has great potential for endless possibilities while acknowledging the need for the correct approach through clear guidelines and ethical boundaries.
As a Gen Z myself, I can relate to your optimism and curiosity about the potential opportunities it presents. However, I wanted to point out the need for careful consideration and guidance when it comes to integrating AI into our academic lives. My high school’s approach to managing AI usage was quite different from yours: in fact, many of my teachers actually encouraged students to use ChatGPT as an aid in our academic journey. The idea of leveraging AI to alleviate our workload seemed promising to me but this enthusiasm quickly turned into a conversation about academic integrity when concerns were raised about the ethical use of AI. I was penalized because Turnitin — a plagiarism detection software that my school uses to scan students’ work for AI detection — claims that there was one sentence in my essay that was “likely generated by AI”; since there was no clear indication of the extent for AI usage to be considered “unethical”, I felt misrepresented. Although I wouldn’t say that your school made the right decision to completely ban students from utilizing such tools in the long run, a clear guide as to how we should utilize ChatGPT for our assignments should be established first before we dive blindly into the A.I era.
As you mentioned, the world is indeed evolving, and the popularity of AI has even gotten to some of my teachers. For instance, my geography teacher used Brisk Teaching — an AI Chrome extension that helps teachers automate grading — to mark our coursework. A classmate of mine wrote her entire assignment with ChatGPT, and since AI was essentially marking its own work, there was no doubt that she scored the highest in the class. Everyone else who actually invested time and effort on this assignment got significantly lower grades than her, which we all felt was unfair. To address these contradictions, I agree with you that educational institutions must establish consistent and transparent policies regarding the ethical use of AI, however in my case, for both students and teachers. By doing so, we can ensure fairness, maintain academic integrity, and foster an environment where AI is used as a valuable resource, rather than a tool that hinders our development learning process. Hence, your school’s decision to ban ChatGPT completely is not a bad idea as it promotes integrity and fairness before they establish a clear set of DOs and DON’Ts when using AI.
Based on my negative experiences with AI, I certainly believe that it is crucial to view this tool with skepticism and approach it with caution. While AI has immense potential to enhance learning, it must be implemented thoughtfully and ethically to avoid compromising the integrity of education. Thank you once again for your insights, Matthew. Engaging in these discussions and establishing responsible and fair practices when leveraging AI in educational environments is essential.
While working with Ai certainly has its benefits like increasing our productivity and efficiency. I’m conflicted about its usage, especially in the creative industry. As I said before it can definitely be used to increase efficiency in this field. An example would be the Ai that was created for spider-man across the spider-verse where they had the AI animate some lineart for in-between shots and so on. That would be one of the ways I support Ai usage as it is beneficial for the animators and is an ethical way to use Ai as a tool. Despite there being ethical uses of Ai majority of the cases are used non ethically.
Ai generated art would be one of these unethical uses. I have seen many artists online get their art processed through these sites (a popular example would be mid journey). Their art gets used in the Ai without their permission and on their hard journey of discovering their own unique art style, their creative process gets stomped into the ground with these Ai generative work. Ai “Art” doesn’t just undermine the long rigorous work artists have put their souls into but they could also undercut a skilled artist’s economic viability.
I would not contribute to the “AI Revolution” because although it makes jobs easier for people, it can also take over many jobs.
I believe we should not be worried of AI replacing our jobs because it is just a tool. Even if AI is improving, it wouldn’t match against the human brain. Instead of seeing AI as a competitor, we should see it as a tool for improving jobs.
I’m relieved that the article takes a more nuanced perspective with AI and hybrid work models rather than a glimpse into a dystopian future. While acknowledging the negative potentials of AI, the article’s three main topics work to highlight the necessity and hope of open discussion about AI, productivity, and labor.
To start, Nikita’s aspiration to become an AI ethicist, underscores not only the importance of balancing innovation with morality but a hope that people are and will be thoughtful about AI. Well-informed participants are very much needed in a productive discussion about how to ethically and efficiently use AI.
Meanwhile, professor Lynn Wu’s research suggests that while AI and robots will alter job roles, they won’t replace humans. This makes sense as the nature of professions differ. Compare a radiologist working with data-derived images vs a lawyer synthesizing original arguments from diverse mediums. The discussion for AI use will be distinct between these jobs as the positions’ demands differ.Dr. Wu’s balanced perspective encourages adaptation and strategic integration of AI rather than fear which invites a variety of micro-conversation specific to occupation on AI policy.
Moreover, professor Matthew Bidwell’s comments on productivity and hybrid work models implores employers to carefully curate an environment of interaction and collaboration. This is very much the framework needed for these discussions to take root.
Nikita’s ambition and the expert insights give hope that open discussion on AI, productivity, and labor are underway. However, I also believe that organization of these discussions will allow the various elements for discussion to synergize and help us all strategically and ethically navigate the future of work in an AI-driven world.
During childhood, we all have some idea of our dream career. When I was younger, many of my classmates hoped to be astronauts, scientists, doctors, as well as a plethora of other possibilities. As for me, I wanted to be an architect. I was fascinated by the thought of one day being able to design the buildings and structures around me. I would always stop and see construction sites with their details plastered on the green boundary walls. While it might not have been completed yet, there would soon be a magnificent building in place of the dusty plain lot. I would also wonder about how bridges spanning over massive bodies of water were able to even stand. All of these structures around me were the result of architects and their intricate designs. As a child I knew that I wanted to delve into the field of architecture. However, my childhood dream career was slowly quashed.
Today, in the era of AI’s rapid ascendance, it’s clear that many jobs have started to be in danger of replacement by AI. With the extreme advancements that are being made practically every day, it seems that AI is just far more efficient than we are, accomplishing many things better than a human could. For instance, I have seen programs powered by artificial intelligence that have generated a complete building and design plan, with far more speed and often detail than a human could. Initially, this gave me doubts about my future: would I be able to pursue my dream career like architecture, or should I concede defeat at the prospect of being replaced by AI? The idea of being replaced filled me with dread but also motivated me to read widely on the subject of artificial intelligence and how it will affect jobs and our lives.
It’s for this reason that I was immediately drawn to the title of this article. The professors in this article state that AI will not rapidly replace all human jobs. Dr. Lynn Wu and Dr. Matthew Bidwell both share great points that help me view AI from a different perspective. Before reading articles like this one, I felt extremely threatened by the inevitable advancement of AI. However, I am now coming to realize that AI should not be viewed only as a possible rival, but also as an ally. AI can be used as a tool to enhance humanity’s capabilities. For example, architects can use AI to fill in gaps and problems that could be made by human errors. On the other hand, AI sometimes makes mistakes that we need humans to spot. Human insight combined with the efficiency of AI is in no way negative.
As Dr. Bidwell states, AI can make us more productive. Instead of dreading AI, I’m now thinking about ways that I should welcome it and also adapt to it, to work with it to pursue my interests. I’ve come to believe that today’s jobs will not be replaced by AI alone – rather, they will evolve into new jobs that involve using AI to enhance human intelligence and productivity.
This article has helped to reassure me that instead of losing my dream career due to AI, I can continue to pursue opportunities in the field of architecture – while being aided by AI. I am grateful for scholars such as Dr. Lynn Wu and Dr. Matthew Bidwell for navigating and clarifying topics about huge technological changes. I can continue to pursue my dreams and interests with a clarified perspective, confidence, and a new powerful resource.
This article prompted me to reflect on how the effects of AI have resonated in my life.
I have been a music lover my whole life. I have been passionate about music since before I even started elementary school. As a child, I always enjoyed the violin and piano lessons that were but a mere chore to my friends, because they allowed me to fuel my dream of becoming a music composer. I would watch music theory videos on YouTube so that the melodies I created, as unprofessional as they were, could bring joy to the ears of those around me. Though my career aspirations in musical composition eventually took a backseat to newfound interests, I continued my musical exploration as a hobby.
A few months ago, while surfing the internet, I stumbled upon an AI service that stopped me in my tracks. It was a music composition software that could generate entire pieces of music in seconds. The products seemed so professional and well-structured– perhaps even more than what I could procure as a middle schooler who spent all his free time on composing. As I experimented with this software, I found a mixture of fascination and unease growing inside me. Could anyone with a computer “compose” pieces greater than what I could compose with years of passion? I questioned the value of the composition skills I had spent so much time and effort to build up.
There is an article that has shifted my opinion since. It is called “What OpenAI Did.”, written by Professor Ethan Mollick. Mollick discussed AI’s transformative impact on various industries and highlighted the need to adapt to these changes rather than resist them. His insights resonated deeply with me. He emphasized that AI could augment human capabilities, enabling us to achieve greater productivity and innovation. His perspective made me reflect on my initial discouragement when faced with new AI in my area of interest. I realized that my frustration wasn’t with the technology itself but with my inability to see how I could integrate it into my creative process.
Inspired by Mollick’s perspective, this May, I decided to experiment with AI tools in my music composition. Instead of viewing AI as a threat, I tried to embrace it as a collaborator. I generated a set of initial ideas with the software, then refined them by adding my personal touch. This approach allowed me to maintain my artistic integrity while embracing the benefits the AI offered me. This hybrid method was able to rekindle my passion for music composition.
Reflecting on this experience, I understand that my initial resistance to AI was rooted in fear—fear of losing my identity as a composer and fear of becoming obsolete by machines. However, through the insights of thought leaders like Ethan Mollick, I learned to navigate this technological shift with an open and adaptive mindset. AI and hybrid work models will continue to disrupt and reshape industries and professions. Whether you’re in music, business, or any other field, the key is to view AI as a strategic asset that can enhance your capabilities rather than diminish them. Embrace the technology, find ways to integrate it into your workflow, and leverage it to achieve competitive advantage and drive innovation in your domain.