You walk into a new job on your first day, having working there for years. Then, one day, you walk in discovering you’ve been cut. Why? A brand new technological advancement has just been implemented in your company and you are no longer needed. Problems like this have begun to affect many which brings up the question: “Is new really better?”
While the number of jobs being replaced has remained relatively low, AI is still very much being used in the workforce. According to Pew Research Center, “about one-in-six workers say at least some of their work is done with AI.”
New advancements are inevitable, but it’s the way we go about using them that determines whether the consequences are positive or negative. New technology offers so many benefits, but by relying on technology, we risk losing who we are. As a society, we value creativity, hard work and financial security.
Artificial intelligence [AI] has come an incredibly long way the past five years alone. AI allows users to complete work efficiently and quickly when used appropriately, cutting out boring and repetitive tasks such as writing emails or doing calculations. For example, here at The Viking Views, we use AI to help come up with questions for interviews when need be, allowing our staffers to focus on writing and designing; in fact, it helps tremendously when a staffer is assigned an article for which they have no experience or frame of reference. Additionally, implementing AI in such tasks allows people to focus on themselves more and can allow time for family, friends, or pursue their hobbies.
Using AI to help a reporter to generate interview questions is not unethical. Using AI for anything beyond that, however, is. With this, AI can also be harmful. Most jobs are at risk of being taken over by AI/Automation including, but not limited to graphic design, customer service/support, and general manufacturing jobs. As a result, there may be fewer employment opportunities, which in turn makes supporting your household incredibly difficult. Not to mention, AI discourages creativity and the need to learn.
How? It does things for you.
While AI may affect jobs and creates instability, new jobs are being created daily that didn’t exist 10 years ago, such as AI specialists. We, The Viking Views, believe that AI can be incredibly beneficial, so long as it is regulated and workers are protected. To ensure we stay on top of these new advancements, schools need to prepare and educate youth for an AI-driven world. New isn’t always better, it’s only as good as what we make of it. As a society, we must create with purpose, focusing on innovations that directly benefit people. By staying on top of what’s going on in the world of AI, we can ensure that our creativity, culture and core values aren’t being compromised — and we are not overtaken by the very technology of our own creation