A lot of people stress about AI and whatever job losses it might bring.
Unless you are brain dead, this is a natural thing to be concerned about. This article will give you some perspective and tell you what you need to do.
People have been worrying about technology and job losses since forever.
People worried about job losses during the industrial revolution.
People worried about job losses during when factories started getting tech heavy and less labor intensive.
People worried about job losses when computers were starting to take over the market. In fact some countries actually banned computers and later had to lift the ban forcing their population to take the economic hit of being the last adopter.
People worried about job losses when the internet was starting to take over. What will the mailman do if everyone uses email?
People are now worried about future job losses due to artificial intelligence and other forms of automation.
Tech will take over all the jobs is something people have always been anxious about.
Look, here’s the thing:
Artificial Intelligence take over is coming whether you like it or not.
We had the industrial revolution.
We had the computer revolution.
We had the internet revolution.
Whether people liked or hated it, it happened anyway.
Within the next 20 years, we are going to have:
- Much faster internet
- Much faster computing
- Cryptocurrency dominance
- Hyper-realistic virtual reality
- Artificial intelligence in all aspects of life
- Third world country knowledge worker emergence (You not only have to compete with tech, but also highly educated people from abroad who work at much cheaper rates than you)
- More day to day robotics (Think more things like Roombas)
Will Artificial Intelligence Take Over Jobs? (And How AI Will Change The Future of Work)
For a lot of the bottom tier desk jobs that no one really wants to do – yes. Low IQ jobs that just involve basic repetition of a few concepts WILL get automated.
Earlier I used to hire a proofreader to go and correct typos in my older articles. It was a boring job that involves carefully going through text to find any typos. Now I use ChatGPT to find me most of the typos in 5 seconds.
That is how AI will change the future of work. The low intellect required mechanical works gets handled by AI, leaving humans to focus on work that truly makes a difference.
The bottom tier of society gets replaced by technology.
This is a good thing in the long run as it frees them up to do better things.
For example, the industrial revolution freed up people from sitting spinning yarn all day.
Earlier, it would take thousands of people to spin cotton into yarn. Then spinning mules allowed two workers to spin 1,320 spindles at the same time.
Even though people back then were worried about job losses and there actually were job losses – it was a good thing in the long run. I doubt anyone wants to go back and spin cotton into yarn today.
This is how automation and technology works by the way – you get the same output by employing fewer humans to a task. Instead of 1,320 workers spinning 1 spindle each, 2 workers spin 1,320 spindles at the same time.
This is exactly like computers. Instead of having 50 of people in your accounting department, you now only need one accountant with a computer to get the exact same (usually better) output.
AI is the Computer Revolution 2.0.
Computers also automated a lot of what is called “donkey work” where humans were literally doing mechanical tasks that involved little use of intelligence.
I mean things like making checks, manually keeping and tallying up accounts, sending and receiving physical mail – computers solved all of that freeing up human time.
Look at who AI is replacing today – people doing low level mechanical tasks. People like junior developers, tech support employees, and the like.
Here’s an example of a fintech company Klarna replacing low level workers with AI:
Klarna partnered with OpenAI to improve customer service interactions. In just one month, the ChatGPT-inspired bot is managing two-thirds of customer service chats—2.3 million conversations—in 23 markets and 35 languages.
The integration is expected to increase profits by $40 million in 2024, the company stated. The chatbot’s efficiency has resulted in fewer errors, a 25% decrease in repeat inquiries and reduced average conversation times from 11 to 2 minutes.
Forbes
What is ironic is that the type of people who complain about AI job losses also complain about poor conditions of Amazon warehouse workers and also want cheap products (words don’t matter, consumer spending proves that low price brings in more consumers).
If robots replaced warehouse workers – that would actually be a good thing because it would free up these people to pursue better pursuits.
Yes it would suck in the short run but in the long run you are better off doing something different from spinning cotton to yarn or customer support or working at an Amazon warehouse.
You are on the roller-coaster so you might as well enjoy it.
I’ve used this analogy before when discussing female promiscuity – special thanks to Balaji Srinivasan for introducing me to it.
We are all on this technological development rollercoaster. AI is going to come whether you like it or not – just like computers and internet and factory machines.
You might as well embrace it and learn to use the technology instead of worrying about it.
You don’t want to end up like the old guys who can’t use technology.
You need to be the guy who uses AI, VR, and other technologies instead of the guy who worries about them.
Take a look at old guys today who can’t use technology or computers well.
Computers came into the market when they were already adults so they had plenty of time and money to be early adopters. But instead they are the last adopters.
Why?
Because most of them were too afraid and intimidated by technology. They stuck to their old pen and paper ways and rejected technology.
Today these guys are obsolete. Many of them can’t even send email.
Whatever technology they can use, they use it at very basic level (such as using Yahoo or Bing because it’s the default search engine on Windows).
It is very easy to become like these old guys because right now you can get by without using AI and other technologies. This will not be the case in 10-20 years.
If you are not aggressively learning how to use the new tools, you will become the tech-handicapped senior citizens of tomorrow.
The World Will Not Stop To Accommodate You.
Horses got replaced by cars. No one cares that you “prefer horses”. The world moved to cars whether anyone liked it or not.
Same with candles. You might “hate” florescent light and think “candle light is more natural” but the world moved to artificial lights anyway.
Your feelings don’t matter.
Do you think AI tech will stop getting better and better simply because it’s making you anxious? Hell no. No one cares about your “AI Anxiety”.
This is a train coming at full speed.
No government or anyone else can stop it or legislate it away.
Learn to use the tool so you don’t get replaced by the tool.
Most people are so far behind that they haven’t even used free tools like ChatGPT yet.
And ChatGPT just generates text.
Most aren’t even aware of AI video and audio capabilities.
Check this to see some videos that were generated by AI using a single prompt.
If you haven’t been following AI, prepare to be completely shocked and have your mind blown.
It will keep getting better and better.
You already cannot tell the difference between real images and AI generated images. Video will soon follow.
Soon you will see videos that look real but are AI generated. The entire paradigm of proof and trust is about to change.
USE MODERN TECHNOLOGY. I cannot stress this enough.
It’s against the natural human condition to aggressively adopt new things (as we are biologically wired to resist change and stick to what is familiar). In this case your biological wiring is messing with you.
If you do not use modern technology, you will be left behind.
Are you reading books on Kindle?
Have you tried to learn how to code and automate basic tasks?
Have you used ChatGPT, Midjourney, and other AI tools to help you with whatever you do?
If not – you are not embracing technology. You are becoming obsolete.
By the way, if your first thought was “my work does not involve using AI” you are NGMI (not going to make it). This is simply because you lack thought and vision.
Here are some super simple ways you can use AI in most jobs:
- Finding typos in emails (most jobs)
- Finding functions and writing basic code (programming)
- Using AI generated images in PowerPoint presentations (most jobs)
- Asking AI to generate educational videos where you provide the “moral of the story” (teaching/training)
- Using AI to do homework for useless college courses like environment and diversity related classes (students)
- Using ChatGPT as a search engine (mostly everyone)
- etc.
If you don’t become aggressive and change your mindset fast, you will be obsolete within the next 20 years.
In the long run, overall human life will get better as we will have more free time and less mechanical work to do.
Just make sure that you’re the guy who uses AI to perform well and aren’t the guy getting replaced by it.
– Harsh Strongman
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