It’s difficult to avoid the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) when discussing recent technological developments. ChatGPT, an OpenAI chatbot released in November 2022, is the brand new thing users are raving about. Before that release, AI had already been used by specialists in industries such as healthcare, automotive, and cybersecurity, but the technology had never been so widely available to the general public. Recent AI features released by major mobile apps also include Snapchat, Yelp, and Canva.
In light of these events, we have invited Saida Gould, a technology expert who works with major tech companies and participates in the development of new projects. We'd like to talk about the most recent AI developments, the industries and professions that will be affected, and how we can deal with these changes.
Adam: Hello, Saida! As I have mentioned, there are an unprecedented number of apps that are releasing AI features for general use. Why do you think this is happening right now?
Saida: It might seem like this happened recently, but AI use already started growing rapidly a few years ago. AI-powered customer service chatbots have been talking to users on websites and in apps for a long time. In the wake of the health crisis during the past few years, there was an even higher demand for automated solutions to improve analytics, address supply chain issues, and increase the rate at which businesses can grow.
Startups and established companies have poured investment into the development and use of AI, which has made it more affordable and accessible, even for small teams. It was inevitable that the technology would end up in the hands of regular, everyday users.
Adam: It’s clear where AI is already actively used: customer service chatbots, image editing, engineering. What are other fields that can utilize it?
Saida: In my opinion, basically any field can benefit from the use of AI. Most businesses exist in the digital space, and that’s where AI can accelerate all business functions.
In recruitment, AI has the capability of sourcing and filtering candidates, contacting them, and even interviewing them. Songs with music, lyrics, voice, and images that were entirely produced by AI are now being released.
Many of the basic writing tasks can be replaced by AI-generated text. It does the same thing as a copywriter: it scours the internet for information, picks the most credible data, and compiles it together. What takes me a few hours to do, will only take AI a few minutes.
Adam: So are you worried that AI will replace you in the workplace?
Saida: Yes, and no. I’m concerned since I am actively involved in software development, writing, and music. Each of these fields is impacted by AI in one way or another. It’s hard to say how AI will affect the ability of creatives to make a living. AI artists probably won’t start dominating the music charts anytime soon, but the technology can already replace a lot of small jobs that creatives get paid to do. Writing a jingle or a movie soundtrack, recording voiceovers, designing a logo or an entire website—all of this can already be done by AI. The quality of the work sometimes surpasses what a human would be able to accomplish in the given time frame and budget.
But like with any technology, it’s inevitable that some things will become obsolete. When landlines were replaced by cell towers, a lot of phone line technicians had to change directions. It’s difficult to accept, but we have to make the best of the situation and find a way to move forward.
Adam: Does this mean that the concerns and hype surrounding AI are justified by the actual reality of the technology?
Saida: Again, as with any new technology, the majority of people, especially younger generations, will adapt seamlessly. The same conversations have been going on around blockchain technology and how it might replace existing financial structures. Any fundamental change will take time, and in that time, most people will learn and adapt.
What’s also different about AI in comparison to other wildly discussed technologies like blockchain or the metaverse is that it’s not new and is familiar to many experts. Machine learning has been explored and utilized since the 1950s. Just for comparison, the first cell phone was created in the 1970s.
The current state of AI development strongly indicates that we are on the verge of a giant breakthrough in the rate of its use. We may have entered the fifth industrial revolution already, in which humans and machines will work together through cyber-physical systems and technologies.
Adam: That sounds promising. Thank you for your time! If you could tell the readers one thing to remember about AI, what would it be?
Saida: I think it’s important that people welcome the use of AI instead of being fearful and avoidant. When faced with the same task, people and companies that use true machine learning will perform better than those that don't. Over time, it will prevail as the standard. If you don’t want to be left behind, keep up.