1.1 Will Artificial Intelligence Take Over?
Was this book written by artificial intelligence (AI) or a human author? It’s a fair question in today’s world. Considering whether this book’s author is an artificial intelligence or a human is very much like Dr. Alan Turing’s Imitation Game where an interrogator had to decide if he or she were talking to a human or a machine.
AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and X’s Grok don’t just make book writing easier, they can write an entire book. Anyone can prompt an AI tool with a few keywords and generate chapter after chapter of grammatically correct text. If this book was written by AI, the next question should be whether the book is accurate. The answer may surprise you: not necessarily. OpenAI’s ChatGPT gets its information from various sources that haven’t been updated since January 2022. In terms of technology, that is a very long time! ChatGPT is a language model trained on vast datasets consisting of text from various sources on the internet. Trusting AI means one would have to trust sources on the internet.
DEFINITION: Artificial intelligence (AI) is giving machines the ability to do smart things that humans usually do. It’s about making computers think, learn, and solve problems just like we do. AI can do tasks like solving problems, understanding how we talk, recognizing patterns, and making decisions. There are two main types of AI: narrow AI, which is good at one specific job, and general AI, which could be super smart and handle lots of different tasks, kind of like how humans can. The technologies behind AI include stuff like machine learning, understanding language, computer vision, and even robotics.
Perhaps a more worrying question is whether AI will replace your job. Picture yourself choosing a major in college, and after four years of diligent effort, discovering that your dream job is being performed by AI. Since practical artificial intelligence has rapidly become accessible to anyone, it is sparking critical questions for college students. For instance, why should a computer science major bother learning to program a computer when AI can handle it? Is a business accounting major wasting time in college if AI can manage balance sheets and profit/loss statements? And what about the English literature major who can use AI to instantly craft a 10-page paper on the merits and drawbacks of John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men?
The emergence of artificial intelligence has already posed a significant challenge to traditional job roles within the business landscape. Equipped with automated processes and intelligent algorithms, AI is steadily assuming control over repetitive and routine tasks. Its ability to analyze extensive datasets, identify patterns, and make complex decisions renders it an invaluable asset across diverse industries. Nonetheless, the extensive adoption of AI raises legitimate concerns regarding job displacement. Occupations in manufacturing, customer service, data entry, and routine analysis are particularly vulnerable, as AI frequently surpasses human performance in these domains.
As AI becomes increasingly pervasive in business operations, a real risk of job loss emerges. This requires a reassessment of the skills possessed by workers and a reconsideration of how humans and machines can collaborate to mitigate the impact on employment. It is essential to proactively address these changes, exploring ways to adapt and evolve alongside AI to ensure a more harmonious integration into the workforce.
Perhaps the most important question is, where do you fit in? What can you do to avoid being left behind in a world of technology that is advancing rapidly? The answer is to educate yourself on all things tech.
Want to try our built-in assessments?
Use the Request Full Access button to gain access to this assessment.