Why we need to be teaching underserved communities on how to use AI ASAP!

If you are reading this article, you are probably in the top 10 percent in terms of wealth and/or education. You have at least a basic understanding of the latest developments in artificial intelligence, and you have likely played around with one of the better-known tools– like ChatGPT and Midjourney.?

These AI-powered tools are already starting to creep into your daily routines– helping in searching for information, or streamlining a big block of information into an elegant email to your colleagues. Soon, you will find yourself more and more productive as you leverage these AI assistants.?

But what about the bottom 90%? There's already a widening wealth and class divide happening in the United States and the world, will AI accelerate that?

We can't allow it to. If we do what's right, we can use AI to close that gap instead. We need to teach everyone HOW to use AI, and we need to use AI to help teach them.???

This post explores the moral duty of society to prioritize AI education for the poor and undereducated, as failure to do so could further perpetuate the existing wealth and knowledge gap.

Understanding the Wealth and Knowledge Gap

$42 trillion of new wealth was created between December 2019 and December 2021. $26 trillion (63 percent) was captured by the richest 1 percent, while $16 trillion (37 percent) went to the bottom 99 percent. The wealth and knowledge gap refers to the unequal distribution of economic resources and educational opportunities among individuals and communities. It is a multifaceted issue influenced by historical, socio-economic, and systemic factors. Over time, this gap has widened due to the unequal access to resources, including education and technology. With the emergence of AI, this disparity threatens to deepen further, as access to AI education becomes a critical determinant of socioeconomic mobility.

AI and the Future Job Market

A World Economic Forum report predict that by 2025, machines could displace about 85 million jobs — but create 97 million new roles "more adapted to the new division of labor between humans, machines and algorithms." As AI technologies continue to advance, they are expected to reshape the job market significantly. Certain job sectors may become automated, resulting in job displacement and the need for reskilling or upskilling. Without adequate AI education, the poor and undereducated will find it increasingly challenging to secure stable employment or transition into new job roles. This exacerbates economic inequality and widens the wealth gap. Prioritizing AI education would equip marginalized individuals with the necessary skills to adapt to the evolving job market, ensuring a more inclusive and equitable society.

What can we do? Driving AI-Literacy

Do you already have AI-training courses for your staff? How about for your users? The former is a matter of survival for your company, the latter is a form of ESG, but it will undoubtedly create a deeper relationship with your users. How does AI-literacy fit in your organizational strategy and your product roadmaps??

In our case, we are starting to pilot education modules for financial literacy with our users powered by AI video generators and ChatGPT-generated quizzes. We are exploring how to include access to AI tools, and help our members figure out how to write great prompts and leverage these tools to their financial advantage.?

There is so much more to do and we are incredibly excited as we discover more AI tools and capabilities that make achieving our mission of financial inclusion ever easier!

We will keep you posted as we find out more.?