Gen AI, Jobs, and Human Race

Will You/Your Job Be Replaced by Gen-AI?

Generative AI thrives on "Data" as an input, "Interprets" quickly, "Responds" quicker, and produces "Output" at an incredible speed and accuracy. The quantity and quality of these datasets are crucial; the more curated the datasets, the more powerful AI's processing, responding, and output capabilities become.

It all started with machine learning, followed by supervised learning, deep learning (based on neural network replication), natural language processing, large language models, and now Gen AI agents. Essentially, the evolution has shifted from labeled data to vast, curated datasets that are provided through APIs. So, it’s fundamentally about fueling AI models with curated datasets and contexts, enabling AI to relate, reason, replicate, model, and predict based on patterns.

What does this mean for us? It means a lot! This will lead to incredible gains in efficiency at an astounding speed and precision. Any job that is repetitive and doesn’t require complex decision-making could be complemented or replaced by Gen AI.

Last year, I tried a bit of Python coding to work with data frames, which improved my spreadsheet tasks significantly. A few weeks ago, I used Python to retrieve data from a cloud database via an API key. Trust me, I don’t know coding, but ChatGPT supported me throughout. This experience exemplifies the efficiency gains that Generative AI brings, and they’re only going to increase over the next several years.

Curious about which jobs could be aided or potentially replaced by AI? Check out these resources:

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/jobs-artificial-intelligence-will-replace

https://willrobotstakemyjob.com/

There’s a lot of hype around Gen AI being the “next big thing” that might replace humans altogether. People imagine a scenario straight out of The Terminator, where AI leads to humanity's extinction. But this fear is largely unfounded if we understand some key fundamentals.

Let’s dive a bit deeper. Gen AI typically operates based on curated data and patterns. The best it can do is become efficient and intelligent within the frame of reference provided by data. Where does this data come from? The answer is simple: from us—our creations, our knowledge, and what we produce in collaboration with AI.

The human mind functions through neural networks, which retrieve stored data, connect with context, recognize patterns, and forecast situations based on predispositions. This is why biases and preconceptions in human thinking can also be reflected in Generative AI—after all, AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on. Garbage in, garbage out.

To simplify further, imagine if the internet and Gen AI had existed since the 16th century, and we traveled to the 17th century to ask about “airplanes.” The best AI could offer would be speculative sketches, as the data on airplanes wouldn’t exist yet. In contrast, human intelligence is driven by instincts like survival and curiosity, which propel us to imagine things that don’t yet exist. Gen AI relies on data from the past and present, limiting its ability to make predictions beyond what it’s already seen.

Human intelligence is powered by an evolved state of consciousness, instincts, and emotions. We can think abstractly, explore uncharted ideas, and innovate in ways that go beyond data. Meanwhile, Gen AI remains exceptional at identifying patterns but is constrained by its dependence on historical data.

It will be interesting to see how we embrace Generative AI to improve our lives rather than fearing the change it brings. What do you think?