Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
“Evolve or perish” has been the timeless principle guiding species through their journey of existence. Today, we, the Homo sapiens, are standing at a crossroads where our evolution is not going to be determined by nature, but by our own creation: artificial intelligence (AI). The discourse around AI has often been painted in a tone of gloom and doom, with critics suggesting that we’re certain to lose essential skills to our AI counterparts, a phenomenon we are able to call the “ChatGPT effect.”
Yet, as an authority in hybrid work models and AI integration, I challenge this angle and tell my clients that having their employees lose certain skills to AI, very like the arrival of calculators and the web, is just not only inevitable but in addition useful to human progress.
Related: The Future Founder’s Guide to Artificial Intelligence
The handwritten calculations, the lost art
Consider this: When was the last time you performed a fancy arithmetic calculation on paper? Cannot recall? That is because calculators within the Seventies have all but replaced the necessity for us to manually crunch numbers.
Sure, some people within the Seventies whined concerning the kids today using these new-fangled calculators and losing their paper-based math skills. But this technological adoption wasn’t a loss, but a monumental gain. It liberated us from the shackles of tedious manual calculations, allowing us to concentrate on complex problem-solving, creative considering and strategic planning — skills that really distinguish us from machines.
It’s as if we were once lumberjacks, hacking away at trees with axes. Then, chainsaws were invented. Did we mourn the lack of our ax-swinging prowess? No. We embraced the chainsaw since it freed us to cut down more trees, more quickly and with less effort. Similarly, the proliferation of calculators didn’t render us skill-less, but relatively, skill-smart.
The google effect: A forgetful blessing in disguise
Moving on to the realm of data, the “Google Effect” has had a similarly transformative impact. A study in 2008 revealed a trend among the many younger generation to lean heavily on engines like google for information, leading to a decline in memory retention. Nonetheless, before we label this as a loss, let’s pause to consider the larger picture.
Imagine you are a chef trying to remember every recipe on the planet. Within the old days, without recipe books, you had to depend on your memory. With the invention of writing and cookbooks, you can outsource your memory to them. And now, with the web, you can find any recipe in a number of minutes.
Would you relatively spend your time memorizing recipes or honing your culinary skills, experimenting with flavors and creating culinary masterpieces? Just as the web has turn out to be our external hard disk drive for information, it allows us to concentrate on creativity, critical considering and contextual understanding.
The ChatGPT effect: The fear of the uncharted
The mounting anxiety surrounding the ChatGPT effect is just not unfamiliar; it’s harking back to the initial trepidation surrounding calculators and the Google Effect. It is the unease we feel once we teeter on the precipice of uncharted territory. The concern arises from the concept that as AI becomes proficient in tasks resembling language translation, content generation and even coding, these skills might progressively turn out to be obsolete for humans.
Imagine the revered art of translation. It is a task that requires not only an understanding of words and grammar, but in addition culture, context and subtle nuances. Today, AI algorithms can translate languages with an accuracy that rivals, and in some cases surpasses human abilities. The fear is that we’d lose this skill to AI. Nonetheless, just because the ax-swinging prowess didn’t define the lumberjack, these skills don’t wholly define us.
Now, let’s take a look at the domain of content creation. Algorithms like GPT-3 can generate articles, write poetry and even mimic human-like conversation. The fear here is two-fold: Are we about to lose our ability to write? And in the method, will we also lose the wealthy human touch, the emotion, the empathy that makes our stories resonate with others?
Yet, it’s crucial to do not forget that our worth as humans lies not in rote tasks but in our unique human attributes — empathy, intuition, creativity, ethical judgment. These are the qualities that machines are removed from replicating. The human touch in an article, the empathy in understanding one other’s plight, the creativity in storytelling — these are irreplaceable. We need to nurture and enhance these abilities within the age of AI.
Then there’s the world of coding, where AI is increasingly getting used to write and review code. While it’s true that AI can automate some elements of coding, it is also opening up recent possibilities. It allows us to tackle more complex problems, create more robust software and make technology accessible to a wider audience.
Fairly than viewing this as a threat, we are able to see it as a possibility for enhancement and growth. Just because the calculator didn’t make us less intelligent, AI won’t make us less capable. As an alternative, AI can liberate us from mundane tasks, giving us more time and energy to concentrate on complex, creative and uniquely human tasks. We will not be being replaced; we’re being upgraded. We will not be losing our skills; we’re evolving them.
Related: What is the Invisible Impact of AI? The Winners Aren’t Who You Think
The future: Composing a symphony of humans and AI amid real challenges
The potential of AI to reshape our world is undeniable. Nonetheless, it’s essential to acknowledge that together with the opportunities, AI also brings significant challenges. Misinformation, bias, even threats to human existence are concerns that need our immediate attention. Yet, the fear of losing skills to AI, while comprehensible, doesn’t belong to this list of real threats.
AI’s ability to disseminate information at unprecedented speeds and volumes has a darker side. Misinformation and “deepfakes” can now spread like wildfire, influencing public opinion, destabilizing societies, and eroding trust in institutions. These are real threats that require urgent motion from policymakers, technologists and society at large.
Similarly, the difficulty of bias in AI systems, born out of biased training data or unintentional algorithmic biases, is a profound challenge. It could possibly perpetuate social inequalities and lead to unfair outcomes in critical areas resembling healthcare, law enforcement and employment.
From a more long-term perspective, and most consequentially, there’s the existential query: Could AI, particularly superintelligent AI, pose a threat to human existence? Could we inadvertently create an AI so powerful that it’d see us, its creators, as redundant or whilst obstacles? This might seem to be science fiction, but it surely’s a priority shared by tons of of leaders in the sphere of AI.
These are real, pressing issues that deserve our full attention. They require thoughtful regulation, ethical considerations and robust safeguards. Nonetheless, the fear of losing skills to AI, while it could seem instinctively unsettling, is just not a real threat.
Losing some skills to AI must be seen not as a loss, but as a possibility for growth and evolution. Very similar to the conductor doesn’t need to play every instrument within the orchestra, we do not need to perform every task that AI can handle more efficiently. As an alternative, we must always concentrate on refining the talents that AI cannot replicate — creativity, empathy, strategic considering leadership.
So, while we must always absolutely be vigilant and proactive in addressing the actual challenges AI presents, we must always not let an unfounded fear of skill loss detract us from the incredible opportunities AI offers. On this grand symphony of humans and AI, we will not be just performers, but composers and conductors of our future, shaping it with foresight, wisdom, and an understanding of each the risks and the rewards.