AI: A Brighter Future or Unforeseen Challenges?
Since its release in late 2022, ChatGPT has put artificial intelligence front and center in the headlines. Since then, the conversation around AI has gone from excitement to fear as people wonder about AI's capabilities.Â
Some 61% of polled adults in America told Reuters that they feared AI could threaten humanity when ChatGPT was being used.Â
From envisioning flying cars to robots performing human jobs, people have always tried to predict what comes next in the tech world. Artificial intelligence is the next great tech mystery. So, will AI change the world for the better or worse?
What is AI and How is it Changing the World?
Artificial intelligence is a fairly broad term. While chatbots with the capabilities of ChatGPT are relatively new, AI has been around for some time now. The term commonly refers to smart machines trained to carry out human tasks.Â
The technology has been used since the 1950s before the computers people know existed. In 1952, Arthur Samuel developed a program where a computer could learn to play checkers, and from there, society has the technology to build robots, Siri, and even Tesla cars.Â
With new technology, AI continues to grow and advance in society.Â
AI Can Expedite Processes
There are many AI tools everyone uses daily. There is Amazon Alexa that helps people turn their lights on and off. There is also the smartphone that helps one with directions. Thirdly, there is ChatGPT to assist one in writing. All these things make life easier since it saves money and time. Not only are everyday citizens using AI, but many large companies also use it. According to CompTIA, a significant percentage of leading companies, precisely 91.5%, invest in AI on an ongoing basis.
The possibilities appear to be endless. Improvements in key industries can help to make life easier for many, including AI healthcare tools for diagnostics, self-driving cars, virtual tutors, and even robots that can code and program. These changes may save lives and time and change the world.
Some of the changes that people foresee coming from AI include:
- Perform duties as virtual assistants
- Automatically shop for you
- Personalize medicine recommendations
- Improve foreign policy
The Potential to Eliminate Jobs
AI has already eliminated jobs in many sectors. It can take over tasks from humans and provide a user-friendly experience for clients.Â
For example, retail stores in the U.S. are rapidly changing with the addition of AI-powered self-checkout machines. Between 2017 and 2019, the retail industry in America lost over 140,000 jobs to automation, according to CNBC. This figure is a small percentage when compared to the report by Goldman Sachs that theorizes that AI could replace up to 300 million full-time jobs due to recent advancements in AI.Â
Indeed, the potential for AI to make companies money is one of the reasons why Hollywood actors and writers are striking in 2023. Both writers and actors are seeking compensation for the use of their likeness or work, even when AI is involved.Â
If these estimates are correct, the job market could suffer the consequences of a rapidly advancing world. However, some find this change exciting, as robots performing human jobs may be the way of the future.
Brings New Ideas
There are two sides to the generative AI debate–those who believe that AI's creations are unique and made by AI or by the humans who trained the AI, knowingly or unknowingly.Â
AI art and writing tools are viewed in awe, making people wonder how a computer could create such beautiful art or exciting stories. However, the nature of generative AI is that the intelligence is artificial and compounded of information from real human artists, authors, and writers.Â
When considering the new creations that could come from generative AI tools, it's hard to say whether or not the results are original or plagiarized. If an AI tool writes the script for an award-winning movie, is there a human somewhere out there who deserves the award?Â
On the other hand, AI can write interesting scripts and come up with ideas that humans may not have had on their own. Even AI art can be used by human artists to brainstorm, sketch, and plan new pieces. AI writing tools can outline stories, solve plot problems, and even generate character names that could help human authors create excellent books.Â
The jury is still out on whether or not AI's ability to produce creative material is good or bad for society.
What Will the Future Hold For AI?
The truth of the matter is humans' control. It is up to the people how far they want to take this AI. Human developers create the tools, and human users interact with them. So, when you look to the future, AI is undoubtedly a part of it. No one knows what the future may look like or what to expect.
She started her blog, The Money Dreamer, when she realized the 9-5 job was not the lifestyle she wanted anymore. After designing for a while, she wanted a more meaningful life, which was freedom, so she decided to venture out. She took action so that she can live her dream life and decided to help people to live theirs by helping them how to save, budget, and invest.
