In Praise of AI-dleness

Last weekend, by pure coincidence, I watched Lex Fridman's podcast with Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI), followed by a reading of Bertrand Russell's timeless essay 'In Praise of Idleness'. These two completely separate pieces of content were consumed so closely together without intention. But, by God, they went together like cheese and fine wine.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the particular material I am referring to, please allow me to brief you:

• Lex Fridman - A research scientist at MIT whose interests include but are certainly not limited to; AI, Deep Learning, and Robotics. In my humble opinion, Lex's podcast is one of the best in the vast abundance of content we can choose to consume. He has interviewed the likes of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and other guests from varying fields, such as MrBeast (the biggest YouTuber in the world). Lex's curiosity and adamantness that Love is the driving force of humanity are inspiring, and alongside his well-thought-out penetrating questions, I believe he is the most qualified to interview the true geniuses of this world.
• Sam Altman - A true genius of this world. Co-founder and CEO of OpenAI , the company behind world-changing technologies, including ChatGPT.
• Bertrand Russell - Widely regarded as one of the most important and influential philosophers of the 20th century. Russell's work spans a wide variety of topics, but in this particular essay 'In Praise of Idleness,' he explores his ideas on 'work.' The essay is an easily digestible stream of consciousness that discusses the value we place on work as a society and posits ideas on how we should restructure our world of work to optimize for leisure time, which, in turn, would lead to greater creativity, happiness, and social progress.

I must stress I am by no means a self-proclaimed expert in AI or philosophy. However, when I was adding the wisdom of Bertrand Russell into my soup of thoughts that always has a thick base of Artificial Intelligence, I came up with the title 'In Praise of AI-dleness.' It felt too apt and too relevant not to embark on writing my first article post on Linkedin. Also, it struck me that considering I watched the podcast minutes after it was released and read the essay only hours later, I may have been the first person EVER to have consumed both pieces of content. That gives me a unique voice... right?

What does AI mean for the future of work?

Two common discussion topics that thrive in Linkedin Feeds are the growing focus on 'Work-Life balance' and more so recently articles around 'AI will take xxx jobs by 20XX.' For context, my professional life has been something of an unusual blend of Health & Wellbeing and Technology & Infrastructure. My previous employer, Virgin Pulse, had a mission statement of 'Changing Lives for Good' by using technology to intersect human behaviors and data to gain insight in order to enhance employees' lives. Currently, I work at Fujitsu as a Digital Transformation specialist, working with UK businesses to drive digitization of operational processes, unlock value from data, and ultimately enhance their customers' experience. Perhaps this is why this coincidental content collision resonated with me so profoundly.

Understandably, there is apprehensiveness surrounding the iterative introduction of AI into our everyday working lives. In some industries more than others, it is rational to be concerned. Especially when you recognize that this is still the very early phases of AI adoption. Decades of technological advancements have got us to this point, and Sam Altman repeatedly mentions the 'slow but exponential' impact AI will have. But what does that mean for us?

Be Idle

That is the suggestion of Bertrand Russell. Russell's idea of 'Idleness' is less 'Idleness is to the human mind like rust to iron' and more aligned with 'Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything.' Idleness, in this context, is not horizontally searching for the latest Netflix murder documentary that you haven't watched or mindlessly scrolling through Instagram for indiscernible dopamine hits. Being idle speaks more to not being compelled by the idea of virtuous overworking driven by the ever-moving goalposts of productivity targets. It speaks to the freedom of workers to exercise creativity, pursue their passions, and contribute value to their business.

While bearing in mind that Russell wrote this in 1935 and considering how relevant this is to current-day manufacturing (which is a specific focus of mine), let's pause and take a look at a thought from Bertrand Russell:

"Let us take an illustration. Suppose that, at a given moment, a certain number of people are engaged in the manufacture of pins. They make as many pins as the world needs, working (say) eight hours a day. Someone makes an invention by which the same number of men can make twice as many pins as before. But the world does not need twice as many pins: pins are already so cheap that hardly any more will be bought at a lower price. In a sensible world, everybody concerned in the manufacture of pins would take to working four hours instead of eight, and everything else would go on as before. But in the actual world this thought would be demoralising. The men still work eight hours, there are too many pins, some employers go bankrupt, and half the men previously concerned in making pins are thrown out of work. There is, in the end, just as much leisure as on the other plan, but half the men are totally idle while half are still overworked. In this way, it is insured that the unavoidable leisure shall cause misery all round instead of being a universal source of happiness. Can anything more insane be imagined?"

Granted, Russell's ideas are somewhat utopian, but he is testing the idea at its limit. In reality, technological advances require investment. Implementation and adoption require time. Capitalism requires a focus on shareholder value. Revolutions require change. AI, among other digital technologies, is the water and steam of the 4th Industrial Revolution. How humans interact with these technologies provides a great opportunity. Businesses that address the shift the quickest to fill the Digital Skills gaps will be the leaders of the future. Progress will come from businesses that understand that digital adoption is not the lowest hanging fruit to drive up their bottom line but the greatest opportunity in a generation to capitalize on the greatest intelligence we know: the human mind.

On a personal level, that is why the prospect of AI is so exciting to me. I truly believe in the collective human potential to grow and prosper. The inherent characteristics of humans to create, add value, and contribute to their communities comfort me that AI will be a tool that only amplifies humanness. As an accidental proof of concept to myself, the creative process of putting my thoughts on a screen has been thoroughly fulfilling. While it does not generate any business outcome for my employer, the process and deep thought have only enhanced my interest in AI and increased my optimism for the digital/human future.

It would be amiss for me to not acknowledge the rapid developments that have occurred over the last week. Government bodies and organizations of experts, most notably the Future of Life organization, have called for an enhanced focus on safety protocols and protective measures. This is absolutely necessary. For AI to contribute to a society that I have outlined, we have to make sure that we apply the seatbelts and airbags.

Finally, if these topics are of interest to you, I encourage you to watch the podcast and read the book linked below. Thank you to Andy Kirwan for recommending and lending Bertrand Russell's essay. Also to note, I used ChatGPT to spellcheck and correct the grammar of my writing as well as using DALL-E to generate the cover image. Out of interest, I then asked ChatGPT to write an article on the same topic (shown below content links).

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. Any feedback, thoughts, criticisms, commentary, recommendations are all very welcome!

PROMPT:

Write a personable article analysing how the rising adoption of Artificial Intelligence will change the way we work. Consider the ideas in Bertrand Russell's essay 'In Praise of Idleness' and how AI may contribute to more fulfilling and happy life for humans.

ANSWER:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it is now an integral part of our daily lives. As AI technology continues to advance, its impact on the way we work is becoming increasingly evident. From automated data analysis to chatbots and virtual assistants, AI has transformed the way we work and is expected to continue to do so in the coming years.

In his essay 'In Praise of Idleness', Bertrand Russell argues that the goal of human society should be to increase leisure time, not to work harder and longer. He believed that with the help of technology, we could achieve a society where humans could pursue their interests and enjoy more fulfilling and happy lives. It is fascinating to consider how AI could contribute to Russell's vision.

One of the significant benefits of AI is that it can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time for humans to focus on more creative and fulfilling work. For example, AI algorithms can analyze large amounts of data in a fraction of the time it would take a human, leaving professionals to focus on more complex tasks that require critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving.

Moreover, AI-powered tools can improve the work environment for employees. For instance, virtual assistants can help employees manage their tasks, appointments, and schedules, reducing stress and increasing efficiency. Chatbots can also assist customers, freeing up time for employees to handle more complex issues that require human intervention.

Another area where AI can contribute to a more fulfilling and happy life for humans is in education. AI-powered tools can personalize the learning experience, allowing students to learn at their own pace and in a way that suits their learning style. Additionally, AI can help teachers identify areas where students are struggling, enabling them to provide targeted support to help students achieve their full potential.

However, it is important to note that the adoption of AI may also have some negative consequences, such as job displacement. AI technology has already begun to automate jobs in various sectors, including manufacturing and customer service. As AI technology advances, it is likely that more jobs will become automated, potentially leading to job losses in certain industries. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that workers have access to retraining programs and job opportunities in emerging industries.

In conclusion, the adoption of AI technology is changing the way we work, and this trend is likely to continue. While there are potential negative consequences, the benefits of AI are undeniable. By automating repetitive tasks and improving the work environment, AI can free up time for humans to focus on more creative and fulfilling work. Moreover, AI-powered tools can improve the learning experience, allowing students to learn in a way that suits their learning style. Overall, AI has the potential to contribute to a more fulfilling and happy life for humans, aligning with Bertrand Russell's vision of a society that values leisure time.