Week 7: AI Surfing the Tsunami

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Is your job security at risk with new AI automation intelligence? 

Physical and digital Artificial Intelligence is rapidly advancing in sophistication and is being implemented in many different work environments. While some may find this fact exciting, for others it creates a deep concern and border line panic. Experts agree that there will be a significant amount of disruption in the job market from AI, but the question is, will this disruption be for the better or for the worse? 

Optimists, Alarmists, and Realists

There are three major points of view on this topic: the Optimists, the Alarmists and the Realists. The optimists believe that AI will create a proportional number of new jobs. Alarmists believe that there will be a vast destruction of jobs with new AI technology that far exceeds peoples' conservative predictions. Lastly, the Realists believe that being aware of the various AI trends will help with the impact that they will inevitably have on various sectors. 

Optimists and Realists would agree that taking the lead in the development and implementation of AI will be most beneficial to reduce the amount of negative job market disruptions. Some examples of new areas of work include digital fiduciaries, personal AI digital advocacy, and health data trusts. 

Kai Fu Lee

Despite sayings of significant job gain and new job development, most of the data is unpredictable. There is also disagreement about how fast and when certain jobs will be lost. Kai Fu Lee, AI expert, CEO of Sinovation Wintures, and the author of AI Superpowers said, " the new technology will wipe out a huge portion of work, widening the wealth gap and challenging human dignity".  Rather than reskilling current workers businesses will replace them with automation. 

It does not matter whether people have a white-collar job or blue-collar job, Kai Fu Lee believes both will suffer loss. What does matter is capital and data, Kai Fu Lee believes that those with access to them in large amounts will benefit from the $15.7 trillion generated wealth by 2030. Unfortunately, those without an abundance of capital and data living off of soon to be replaced jobs will be the most at risk. In this case Kai Fu Lee encourages people to seek jobs in caregiving as the empathy of humans cannot be replaced by automation. 

Adapt, Adopt, Adept

So, what can we do in response to the increasing usage of AI? Well, we have one of three options as Professor Todd Kelsey mentions in his book Surfing the Tsunami, adapt, adopt, or adept. To adapt to these changes is to learn more, pay attention, and keep aware of where things are headed. Adopting is using AI-related tools and platforms so as to be more involved in managing AI. Finally, the best of the three options, is to adept, which is getting directly involved with developing AI, by learning things like coding and how to work with related data. 

So, will this disruption of the job market be for the greater good? The answer seems to be in how each of us decides to embrace AI in our careers. As humans we are constantly trying to improve our lives as our knowledge increases and new technology is developed, so it seems like the use of AI in the job market is inevitable. Instead of fearing it and fighting it we can embrace it wisely and still reap the potential benefits. 

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