ChatGPT: Threat or Saviour?
You’d think an article written about the capacity for artificial intelligence would be best written by a robot, or a computer. Plenty of people have gone down that route.
Sadly, I tried Chat GPT 4 times to investigate whether it could write this intro, and was given a solitary message stating it was at capacity and to check back later.
So, looks like it’s me writing this for you.
And the question of whether it could eventually replace human writers seems to have been answered early doors. Nevertheless, let’s investigate.
Firstly, to allay fears you have about new robot overlords, let me start by saying this. Chat GPT isn’t that. It’s a language model that uses data. It can only create based on its understanding of what’s been created before.
By humans.
If, instead of worrying about its rise, we try and utilise AI, you might be surprised at how useful it can be.
Worry not
A little while ago, a friend of mine, whose father was a London black cab driver had a bee in his bonnet about Uber. This copycat business, which had zero road knowledge “paled in significance to black cab drivers” and “delivered poor customer experience” he moaned.
I asked him if it mattered to the public whether the driver got their route from a screen or their memory.
He said it did.
I questioned it.
Your own stance on that matter’s the most important. The Uber Vs Black cab fight in London still rages on. There are times when a black cab makes sense. There are others when it doesn’t.
A similar argument’s rumbling on right now for ChatGPT and the permutations of AI.
In fact, this argument’s everywhere. And it’s not just copywriters feeling the heat.
Virtually any job you can think of is, in theory, at risk of being obliterated if you believe the internet. Listen to the worried masses and you may as well bury your head in the sand and be thankful for the few weeks you have left.
Everyone from coders to hairdressers is on the brink. We might as well accept it. According to some , as much as 30% of the workforce is susceptible to losing their jobs from automation. That’s 1.5m people in England. And 375m jobs worldwide.
Only, it’s probably not quite as cut and dry as the internet would have you believe.
Grunt work
Whilst the Brookings Institution estimate 36m people will lose their jobs because of AI, the World Economic Forum predicts machines could create 58m new jobs.
In the same way taxi drivers now have GPS on multiple screens, so too those who use AI will have a greater capacity to do their job. From writers to coders.
Take writing for example.
If there’s one thing you pay a writer for, it’s a voice. Their character which is delivered through words. You pay them to engage your audience through stories, humour and insight. They need to know your customer inside out. The need to engage. Inspire. Amuse. Entice.
Those things, currently, are hard to replicate using AI.
Can AI write a story? Possibly, but much like listening to someone’s dream, possibly not one you’d pay to read.
In fact, some of the issues with AI currently are what makes it so useful. Take ChatGPT, it’s “a big neural net that’s been trained to predict the next word.” Says Mira Murati CTO of OpenAI (the business behind it).
“The challenges are similar to those we see with the base large language models: it may make up facts.”
Some people have asked Chat GPT whether it’s coming for our jobs. The answer it gives varies. But generally, it seems it’s there to be a guide. An assistant. Not the main character.
And certainly not a young usurper to the throne of ‘every job in existence’.
Which jobs will AI replace?
There’s tons of jobs computers have taken from human hands and that’s not likely to stop. According to the Business Institute, manufacturing jobs have declined by 3% since 1980, but production’s grown by almost 20%. That tells its own story about the past introduction of machines.
Going forward, the Economist highlights food preparation as another job most at risk of further automation, along with cleaning and driving.
As recruiters into technical markets we have this conversation with clients, candidates weekly.
For now, there won’t be a discussion that starts “we’re hiring a robot to replace you.” It’ll more be a gradual introduction of automation tools to help save time and money where excess exists.
For a start, look at the types of businesses who might utilise AI to its potential, by say, hiring an electronic receptionist. If your imagination has taken you to a physical robot sat at a desk, think of it more as a screen where people can check themselves in.
But can AI do this job brilliantly, and unhindered?
Of course. This probably doesn’t even fall into AI, but a simple computer programme.
Would you, as a business, want to go with an option like this? That’s your decision. For most, the human touch is a premium offering.
Think of it like using a car wash. Yes, there’s a machine that’ll do just fine, but hand washes by humans cost more because they’re more thorough. A human can spot blemishes, re-do certain spots, re-analyse as they go and you can talk to them too. That’s why it’s a premium.
Similarly, there are some businesses a robot receptionist might suit. For others, having a human being welcome visitors would be the preference.
Whether AI has the ability to replace humans is one question. Whether you’d want it to is another.
A customer service agent’s job could be replaced by a chatbot. And in many cases has been.
Some businesses use them. Others use chatbots to give their customer service agents more information and help them with pre-call introductions.
No two chatbots are created equally.
Being lumbered with one when you’re in a less than favourable mood isn’t a pleasant experience.
But whatever your opinion of them, we’re in an interesting moment for AI and how it shapes the world moving forward.
There’s a long time to go before we understand how to get AI to do the thing we want it to do, and also make sure it’s “aligned with human intention and ultimately in service of humanity” says Mira Murati.
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According to BeyondAgency the list of positions at risk might include: Bookkeeping and data entry, Receptionists, Proofreaders, Manufacturing and pharmaceutical work, Retail services, Courier services, Doctors, Soldiers, Taxi and bus drivers, Market research analysts, Security guards.
For the industries AI touches, there’ll be varying levels of interference.
AI’s unlikely to remove jobs altogether. It’s more likely to revolutionise them and reduce the involvement by humans so they can contribute in other ways. To give humans the freedom to work at a higher level.
How, and who can AI help?
Is AI likely to wipe human Developers off the face of the earth? No.
Will it replace bad Developers who aren’t up to scratch and make too many errors? Possibly, yes. It may just help those Developers become better however.
And even if you take its interaction at an educational level, being able to deliver course information in a way that’s unique to the student could make huge waves. Not all developers think in the same way, even if they do similar jobs.
AI could also increase humans’ capacity to learn. To give them the impetus and wherewithal to be better by democratising learning.
That can only be a good thing.
And as for the moral, ethical and philosophical questions on how much we lean into AI and let it shape our existence, that’s a constantly evolving problem. One which everyone should have a say in. Not just the companies developing the technology, or the governments in which they operate.
Some schools have already banned ChatGPT.
Should they think about the tech in different terms, might it help students gain greater familiarity and therefore an edge? How do you police its use? Has homework been completed by the student or a robot? Is banning it really the best option? Or should it be utilised for the good of the student?
These, and weightier questions, are ones to ponder over.
Until then, here’s a list of wide-ranging AI apps and functions which might help you in your own job.
Beautiful documentation that?converts ?users
Build the documentation you've always wanted. Beautiful out of the box, easy to maintain, and optimised for user engagement.
Create. Together.
The image editor you've always wanted. AI-powered creative tools in your browser. Real-time collaboration. All your assets in one place.
TURN?YOUR?WEBSITE?INTO?YOUR?#1?REVENUE?CHANNEL
Target and convert enterprise buyers, target accounts, and active sales opportunities on your site with web personalisation.
The AI search engine delivering the right answers from?your?data
Effortless integration. For any data, including video, wherever it is.
Generative AI for Intellectual Property
Automates mechanical writing in your patent applications
Track time.
No team should have to waste time and effort on essential admin. Timely automates company time tracking. Bill clients accurately and free everyone for the work that matters.
The easiest way to extract and monitor data from any website.
Train a robot in 2 minutes. No coding required.
The smartestAI team assistant
Transcribes, takes meeting notes, and generates insights for your professional meetings.
That’s just a few of the current tools available that centre around AI.
All of them are designed to help you.
Whether you’re an Engineer, Developer, Writer or cab driver, there’s a little while left before your job’s at risk. If you need a little help finishing on time however, AI’s probably got something that can help that happen.
After all, there are some jobs AI can never replace, like spending time with your nearest and dearest......