The Evolution of Work in the Age of AI

Back to the Future II got a few things right about 2015, Nike did make some Air Mags, but where are the flying cars and Mattel hoverboards? Hollywood often misses the mark on predicting the future, assuming it will be more technologically advanced, and that people will be significantly different than we are today. Yet, technological progress often doesn’t meet the extremes of our fanciful predictions of life in the future. ?

If your sources of news and a vision for the future of the world as a result of Artificial intelligence (AI) come from the fictional musings of a screenplay writer, you might be missing an opportunity to fully comprehend the magnitude of change we will see over the next 20 years. Perhaps only AI itself could crunch all of the numbers and run infinite scenarios through a process to figure out what human life on Earth, or Mars could look like down the road.

Most people had not heard of OpenAI and ChatGPT until January of 2023. In just over a year, the impact has been felt. Many businesses in all industries jumped on the generative AI bandwagon and looked to the current tools as ways to drive efficiency, effectiveness, and profit. Many jobs have already been impacted. Perhaps directly, or even indirectly, some people have found some of their tasks to have been eliminated because of AI.

AI will continue to shape our work and lives in ways we can’t even comprehend. Understanding how this might impact the world could call on our experiences learned from the Industrial Revolution. Yet, unlike the devices that mechanized business in the 19th and 20th centuries, AI has the power to grow evolve and learn in ways that gears and sprockets could not. AI will be a force multiplier for humans, business, science, health, education, politics, and more.

AI has taken center stage, promising to redefine the contours of work as we know it. The recent findings by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) shed light on this transformation, suggesting a major shift in the UK job market with up to 8 million jobs potentially being reimagined or replaced by AI technologies. This number, while startling, sparks a much-needed conversation about the future of work, one that I, with over two decades in the marketing world, find both crucial and exhilarating.

This leads me to contemplate the impact on jobs here in the United States. I think all jobs will be impacted by AI in some way. Whether the resulting impact of AI is positive or negative is a matter of perspective, and perhaps personal to the effect on one’s work, career, and livelihood.

A Positive Glimpse into the Future

Why are some people terrified of AI? It probably doesn’t help that pop culture has fictionalized AI as a threat to human existence. James Cameron and William Wisher gave us a view of the not-so-distant future of 2029 in Terminator 2 where we saw a scorched Earth that had been devastated by the war between man and machine as humans battled against the pending domination of Skynet’s artificial intelligence.

As we gaze into the future, it's essential to approach it with optimism and a spirit of adventure. The story of AI is not one of loss and fear but of innovation and opportunity. Much like the Industrial Revolution reshaped society with new forms of labor and creativity, AI heralds a new era of efficiency and discovery.

Learning from the Past

The Industrial Revolution taught us that while certain jobs disappear, new ones emerge in their place, often in sectors and forms we could hardly imagine beforehand. Today, we stand at the brink of a similar revolution, where AI promises to transform mundane, repetitive tasks into opportunities for human creativity and strategic thinking. This shift allows professionals to dedicate more time to the aspects of their jobs that truly require a human touch, such as creative problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and ethical decision-making. AI for the foreseeable future will not eliminate human leadership as a key value in society and business. Calculators didn’t eliminate the need to learn mathematics, but they do help us with tabulations that would otherwise take additional time to scratch out on paper. Using a tool like a calculator as a proxy to generative AI, also means that a calculator not only saves time but also eliminates errors.

The First Wave of AI Adoption: A Testimony to Human Ingenuity

Currently, we're witnessing the initial wave of AI's integration into the workforce, an exciting period where busy work tasks are automated, freeing up workers to focus on more complex, strategic initiatives. This echoes the sentiment of many in the field, including innovators like Ray Kurzweil, who once said, "AI will enable us to do more—to explore more, to learn more, to create more." In this light, AI isn't just a tool for productivity; it's a catalyst for human potential. As a force multiplier, work such as data analysis becomes accessible to those without deep training in the field. Often professionals in various fields of business rely upon analysts to pore over large data sets to find patterns, anomalies, and insights. Even in early 2024, the analytical capabilities of ChatGPT-4 are astounding. I have already seen these systems gain an edge over human analysts in speed, depth, and accuracy drawing conclusive perspectives from large and unwieldy data sets.

I am not suggesting that the days of data analysis are now solely in the hands of AI. An analyst with a depth of experience, a critical eye, and a keen sense of industry perspective is needed to validate the work of AI. A trained analyst armed with the powerful AI tools available today will have a short-term advantage as these tools are not yet prolific and standard. Many technology companies have been working in the background incorporating AI in some capacity to make their tools and solutions stand out. As generative AI tools continue to advance at a pace faster than Moore’s Law, those trained to aid their experience and work with AI will stay ahead of their human competitors.

This period of transition is marked by a growing adaptation of generative AI technologies that can automate not just simple tasks but also begin to tackle more complex processes. The IPPR report illuminates this trajectory, highlighting how jobs involving routine cognitive tasks are evolving, pointing towards a future where AI's role is not to displace but to augment human effort and creativity.

Embracing a Future Augmented by AI

The potential applications of general AI stretch the bounds of our imagination. AI is already promising solutions to some of humanity's most daunting challenges. Imagine AI contributing to world peace, bridging the gaps widened by politics and prejudice, or providing insights that lead us to understand the very fabric of the universe. In this vision, AI becomes not just a tool for economic efficiency but a partner in our quest for knowledge and understanding. Right now, AI reflects our existence as humans. We have created AI. We have the power and control to shape what it is, and how it can aid us as we continue to advance our species. ?? Instead of seeing the future of general AI resulting in an apocalyptic scorched Earth, imagine a world where the air is clean, the oceans are healthy, climates become stable, and food, water, and energy are never scarce. Consider a world where AI makes education easier, broader, more accessible, and even more efficient. Think about governments not ruled by emotions and power struggles, but rather a function of rational, logical decisions that don’t marginalize any group, and truly act in the greater good of all. What if even the most complex medical ailment were easily treated? Imagine if work itself is no longer required. How much of business and manufacturing could be automated, freeing up humans to pursue leisure? Is this utopia possible? Thinking beyond Earth, how will the power of AI change our view of the cosmos and make distant worlds accessible? Will we soon experience space travel at 99.9% the speed of light? Will we be able to generate navigable wormholes? Will we be able to peer into a black hole and discover what truly happens to the matter that becomes a victim of its gravitational force? Engaging with the Community

As we navigate this transformative era, I encourage you to share your perspectives, stories, and visions for the future. How do you see AI shaping your work or industry? What opportunities excite you the most? How can we, as a society, ensure that the transition towards an AI-augmented world is inclusive and beneficial for all? As humans, we all have a duty to ourselves and others to discuss this topic openly. We should challenge the leaders of government and business to use this moment in time to change the course of life for the better. The rules and laws need to be clear, and enforceable, ensuring that the proliferation of AI has a net positive benefit to all. ?

The Role of Collective Action

The IPPR's call to action, emphasizing the need for government, businesses, and individuals to collaborate in shaping the future of AI, underscores the importance of proactive engagement. As Ray Kurzweil reminds us, "The future is widely misunderstood. Our forebears expected it to be pretty much like their present, which had been pretty much like their past." In contrast, we have the opportunity and responsibility to envision and create a future that reflects our highest aspirations.

My optimism and excitement about AI are tempered by a healthy dose of reality. Many of the rules for AI haven’t been written yet. The power of AI is already coalescing around a few major tech industry giants who have a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders. I’m not suggesting we villainize any business that is looking to capitalize from the AI gold rush, but I do think we all should ask questions, and lean on authoritative powers to establish a playbook of rules, ethics, and laws to ensure the net outcome is positive. ? In sum, the journey toward an AI-enhanced future is filled with potential for growth, innovation, and unprecedented exploration. As we stand on the cusp of this new era, let's engage in an open dialogue about the role of AI in our lives and work, fostering a future that not only leverages the full potential of technology but also amplifies the best of humanity.