Dr Vassilia Orfanou, PhD, Post Doc
Writes for the Headline Diplomat, LUDCI.eu
Introduction
Once upon a future not so far away, flickering newsreels, sci-fi movies, and countless discussions paint a grey picture: a Terminator-style world ruled by artificial intelligence. Humanity cowers under the iron fist of robots, relegated to mere passengers on a runaway train of progress. It’s a chilling future where robots rule and humankind loses value, eventually being replaced. Are we hurtling towards this dystopian nightmare?
This article is a prelude to our comprehensive report on AI, recently published on Amazon and available here. Our latest report offers a glimpse into the transformative power of AI, dispelling myths of a dystopian takeover. From enhancing efficiency in various sectors to creating new opportunities, AI is set to revolutionize the way we live and work.
The race of the Titans
While it may not be as apocalyptic as predicted by existential risk philosopher Nick Bostrom in Superintelligence, a race has indeed begun across the Atlantic Ocean and Caspian Sea (Bostrom, 2014). The US and China are already locked in competition, creating robots to assist humans in almost all professional roles to streamline operations. They’re rolling out more products and stealing a significant march on the global stage. Then there is Europe with cold feet, prioritizing the “commandments” before the “creatures” are ever moulded.
European policymakers are bent on ensuring everything Professor Vernor Vinge predicted 32 years ago in his award-winning novel A Fire Upon the Deep becomes reality – humanity divided into two factions: the technologically advanced Zones, where humans rely heavily on AI, and the slower-evolving Blight, where AI is feared and outlawed. (Vinge, 1992).
Europe and the rest are getting left in the dust with, according to Ming Li, a Chengdu, China-born data analyst and London resident, “people very skeptical about technologies, refusing to change, and content on short-term comfort over long-term gain.” (Li, 2021).
This fear and scepticism aren’t new. Thinkers and brilliant minds of our time, such as Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and Jensen Huang, have shared these anxieties, and warning that an irresponsibly developed AI can become an existential threat. (Luckerson, 2014).
Already, algorithms from the US are tailoring our online experience, whether it’s with content marketing, social life, or e-commerce. Generative AI, a technology capable of creating realistic and creative text formats, is blurring the line between human and machine-made content. According to Ashley Stahl, career coach and author, the use of AI in many business sectors grew by more than 270 percent in the four years leading up to 2021. Is this really the dawn of a robotic takeover, or something else entirely?. (Stahl, 2021).
Déjà Vu: The Fear of New Technology
This debate is not new at all. History shows every new technology has always come with human resistance, from the advent of the printing press to the brick phones. (Juma, 2016). According to Theodore Hamerow, a Polish American historian, people from the Victorian Era in the late 18th to mid-19th century had the same concerns amid the development of machines and emerging technologies during the Industrial Revolution. (Hamerow, 1989).
At that time, people feared that traditional activities like agriculture would disappear. Instead, the industries of the time, especially in Europe, went upscale, with more spots open for engineers and skilled workers who could handle more technical and complex tasks. Today, farming persists, albeit with a blend of technology and human expertise. From organic farms to high-tech greenhouses, the agricultural landscape has transformed, not vanished. The same can be said for countless professions – from art studios to fishing boats, carpentry workshops to medical clinics.
Transformation, Not Extinction
The story of AI is not one of human extinction, but rather one of transformation. While some jobs might become obsolete, new ones will undoubtedly emerge. “I think AI will kill jobs [but] as this displacement happens, humans will still be needed to inject new forms of creativity into these models,” says Ben Zhao, a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Chicago. (Zhao, 2022).
Despite the challenges, the future of work is not necessarily dystopian but expected to be “somewhere in the middle.” AI offers the opportunity for synergistic collaboration between man and machine. We are seeing human skills like creativity, empathy, and critical thinking integrate with the computational capabilities of machines. This synergy can lead to innovative solutions and an improvement in the quality of working life. Nicole Laskowski, the Senior News Director at TechTarget, defines artificial intelligence, in simple terms, as “the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.” (Laskowski and Lowton, 2023).
A Collaborative Future
The future of work won’t be a battle between humans and machines, but more collaborative and transformative. AI will act as a powerful assistant, handling the mundane and freeing us to focus on the strategic and complex. Alexander Clifford, from a tax advisory firm specializing in R&D tax credits, adds, “AI personal assistants automate routine tasks, enabling employees to focus on more strategic and complex aspects of their work.” (Alexander Clifford, 2024).
Figures from the International Data Corporation (IDC) indicate that 85% of companies will integrate human experience with AI, machine learning, natural language processing, and pattern recognition to be more competitive. (Red Hat, 2022). “By 2026, 85% of enterprises will combine human expertise with AI, ML, NLP, and pattern recognition to augment foresight across the organization, making workers 25% more productive and effective,” the report reads. “Technologies, such as machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, pattern recognition, and knowledge graphs are producing increasingly accurate and context-aware insights, predictions, and recommendations.” (Jyoti et al., 2022).
Embracing the AI Era
The dawn of AI, therefore, isn’t a doomsday scenario but rather the beginning of a new era. Just as the Industrial Revolution birthed new industries and opportunities, AI is about to revolutionize different sectors of the global economy – from finance and healthcare to space exploration and software development. The future of AI is one of transformation and collaboration, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation and growth. Embracing AI is crucial for future success in almost all industries.
References
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Bostrom, N. (2014). Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, Wikipedia. Available at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superintelligence:_Paths,_Dangers,_Strategies. Accessed on 7 May, 2024.
Hamerow, T.S. (1989). The birth of a new Europe: State and society in the nineteenth century (University of North Carolina Press, 1989) pp. 148–174. Accessed on 4 April, 2024.
Juma, C. (2016). Fourth Industrial Revolution: Why do people resist new technologies? History might provide the answer, World Economic Forum. Available at https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/07/why-do-people-resist-new-technologies-history-has-answer/. Accessed on 18 April, 2024.
Jyoti, R. et al (2022). IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Artificial Intelligence and Automation 2022 Predictions, International Data Corporation. Available at https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221018006095/en/Red-Hat-and-IBM-Research-Advance-IT-Automation-with-AI-Powered-Capabilities-for-Ansible. Accessed on 5 April, 2024.
Laskowski, N. and Lowton, G. (2023). Definition: Artificial intelligence (AI), Tech Target. Available at https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/AI-Artificial-Intelligence#. Accessed on 4 April, 2024.
Li, M. (2021). Why is it that the US and China seem to dominate the tech industry rather than Europe? Quora. Available at https://www.quora.com/Why-is-it-that-the-US-and-China-seem-to-dominate-the-tech-industry-rather-than-Europe?topAns=221994076. Accessed on 7 May, 2024.
Luckerson, V. (2014). 5 Very Smart People Who Think Artificial Intelligence Could Bring the Apocalypse, Time. Available at https://time.com/3614349/artificial-intelligence-singularity-stephen-hawking-elon-musk/. Accessed on 6 April, 2024.
Red Hat (2022). Red Hat and IBM Research Advance IT Automation with AI-Powered Capabilities for Ansible, Business Wire. Available at https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221018006095/en/Red-Hat-and-IBM-Research-Advance-IT-Automation-with-AI-Powered-Capabilities-for-Ansible. Accessed on 5April, 2024.
Stahl, A. (2021). How AI Will Impact The Future Of Work And Life, Forbes Magazine. Available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2021/03/10/how-ai-will-impact-the-future-of-work-and-life/?sh=3476c1ef79a3. Accessed on 4 April, 2024.
Vinge, V. (1992). A Fire Upon the Deep, Wikipedia. Available at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Fire_Upon_the_Deep. Accessed on 7 May, 2024.
Zhao, B. (2022). What do you think about artificial intelligence (AI)? Will more jobs be lost in future because of AI? Quora. Available at https://www.quora.com/What-do-you-think-about-artificial-intelligence-AI-Will-more-jobs-be-lost-in-future-because-of-AI. Accessed on 18 April, 2024.
