AI Will Kill Jobs

AI is like nothing we have ever experienced. A year ago, we had no idea we could enter a world where a simple prompt could produce a business plan or script or image. And since that box has been opened,? generative AI has come to us at a pace that exceeds anything we have ever experienced as human beings. Some glibly look to the past, “People thought the industrial revolution would kill jobs, but it simply created new ones.”?

Sorry, judging AI based on the introduction of the steam engine in 1770 is simply wishful thinking. It makes us feel better, but would you rather feel better, or be better prepared? Going from hands to machines took jobs away from people, and led to urbanization, unemployment and even social upheaval. But, the machines did not work by themselves, and needed people. So as jobs were displaced, others were created. With AI, the chances of it following the game plan of the Industrial Revolution are slim at best.?

But remember, AI will not kill our jobs today. Or tomorrow. When will it happen? Really depends on the industry. Those at the top don’t understand AI. We have 80-year-old senators trying to legislate and the patriarchy CEO network trying to monetize. But they won’t, without participating in it. And the people who do, the people who adopt and adapt, understand and integrate, are the ones who will survive.

Professional Sports

Let's unpack the most extreme view of job loss, the ones you think would be safe. Professional sports. Athletes are paid millions a year. There is a cost to travel, uniforms, equipment, and everything that comes with a venue. Now, imagine if we combine video games with AI versions of players. Not existing players, but new ones. There are generative teams and venues and, like e-sports, they develop a following. Maybe there is no live, in-person sports. But that could be the tradeoff for not having to pay salaries and all the overhead associated with a sporting event. These athletes are marketed the same way as current athletes. There are sponsorships, commercials, etc.

Seem far-fetched? Believe me, nothing is far-fetched these days. And this scenario just takes time as the technology builds. And from there, we will begin to create real-life holograms of the same athletes, and be able to go to the venue to watch.

The thing about AI, the most important part, is to not judge it by today's standards, as it is aways changing. Humans tend to make decisions based on what is in our purview. So, if it seems otherworldly, we discount and disbelieve. And, with AI, that is a fatal error. An open mind is how we adapt. So, open it up and prepare.