Seize, not fear, the future

In this article, we are exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs such as writers, artists, sales managers, and more as we navigate the evolving landscape where humans and AI collaborate.

In the ongoing debate surrounding the impact of artificial intelligence on humanity, advocates for limiting technological progress have taken the lead. Notably, the Future of Life Institute, a non-profit organization, recently published an open letter calling for a six-month moratorium on developing AI systems more advanced than OpenAI’s GPT-4. Among the illustrious signatories are tech visionaries such as Steve Wozniak, Elon Musk, Andrew Russell, Mark Rothenberg, and Yoshua Bengio.

Opponents of AI often cite this letter, highlighting passages like this one:

“Contemporary AI systems are now becoming human-competitive at general tasks, and we must ask ourselves: Should we let machines flood our information channels with propaganda and untruth? Should we automate away all the jobs, including the fulfilling ones? Should we develop nonhuman minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us? Should we risk loss of control of our civilization? Such decisions must not be delegated to unelected tech leaders. Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable. This confidence must be well justified and increase with the magnitude of a system’s potential effects”

However, it is essential to acknowledge that AI skeptics conveniently overlook the latter part of the letter, which states, among other things:

“Humanity can enjoy a flourishing future with AI. Having succeeded in creating powerful AI systems, we can now enjoy an “AI summer” in which we reap the rewards, engineer these systems for the clear benefit of all, and give society a chance to adapt.”

In essence, even those advocating caution in AI development do not oppose the technology itself. Instead, they urge us to proceed thoughtfully and responsibly, avoiding hasty and uncontrolled deployment that could tarnish its potential.

In our approach to AI technologies, avoiding adopting a Luddite perspective is vital. When the Luddites destroyed machines during the Industrial Revolution, they did not hinder progress, as the time for the machines had come. Progress will not render humans obsolete; it will redefine our work.

Let’s look at how AI will shape specific professions to understand what opportunities lie ahead.

Starting with the closest to the AI, IT sphere.

Information Technology

Robot Warehouses, Arthur Radebaugh

AI Engineers and Deep Learning Engineers are poised for exponential growth in demand. As these professions evolve, specialized roles within them will emerge. Imagine leading profound learning dialogues with artificial intelligence as an AI educator or an AI tester, combating the hallucinations and quirks of neural networks and chatbots.

Cybersecurity Specialists play a crucial role as AI advances, unveiling new information security threats. Criminal talents always seek to exploit emerging developments, and the potential for AI errors must also be considered. Cybersecurity professionals will necessarily become AI specialists.

Virtual and Augmented Reality Developers will witness the indispensable role of artificial intelligence in developing and managing virtual realities. Of course, it will not be The Matrix’s Architect, creating realms from one room, but AI will become a part of creating and managing virtual realities.

Data Analysts and Data Scientists benefit immensely from AI’s progress, enhancing their ability to analyze vast amounts of information and improving prediction accuracy. While the employment landscape in this field may change, it’s more likely that analysts will become adept at AI problem-solving rather than becoming obsolete.

Robotics Engineers have a bright present and an even brighter future. With AI’s growth, robots integrated with AI will be employed across various domains like industry, medicine, and automotive sectors. This trend will spark a surge in specialized areas within robotics, as designing an industrial AI robot will vastly differ from creating a robotic AI surgeon.

By no means does the development of robotics signals the extinction of physical labor, but most likely, humans work will shift away from mass production. Machines and robots will handle tasks like stamping and conveyor systems. 

However, genuine handmade craftsmanship will always hold value. Fields such as haute cuisine, haute couture, forging, ceramics, sculpture, painting, and more allow individuals to unleash their creativity, working with their hands to craft unique objects or provide outstanding services.

Even in the future, when robots might compete in such endeavours, the demand for human-made creations will persist. Humans probably continue to be the primary creators of luxury goods, and we will see tags on items like “Made by man without the use of artificial intelligence and robots.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean true creativity should avoid collaborating with AI in all its forms. Progress is progress. We don’t expect writers to abandon computers and exclusively work with pen and paper, nor do we confiscate cameras from artists. 

Talking about writers – how will AI impact their work?

Writers, copywriters, and editors

Office of the Future, Arthur Radebaugh

Some readers may gasp with surprise, but these professionals are at the forefront of exploring AI’s advancements. Auto-translators, spell-checkers, and style-adjustment services have seamlessly integrated into their daily routines, making it strange to think that these tasks were once solely performed by humans. 

Such AI products improve each year, and the trend is expected to continue. While proofreaders, editors, and translators are still valuable, AI has taken on a significant portion of their workload. Interestingly, AI services and tools have efficiently distinguished those involved in creative work from mechanical tasks like catching typos or rearranging commas.

The current generation of AI has even evolved to generate content. Short descriptions of products, goods, headlines, article previews, social media posts, and other templated texts are primarily its domain. Writers specializing in boilerplate text, who used to craft it from scratch, now find themselves increasingly editing the frameworks provided by AI.

Writers and publicists who produce original, creative texts often engage in dialogues with AI to find the best formulations for expressing their thoughts. It has become common practice to present a topic or idea to AI and request its description in a specific style. While some AI chatbots may offer clichéd responses, many authors have discovered effective ways to harness their capabilities.

The main takeaway from all this is simple: AI will primarily create standard template texts in the near future. Specialists will emerge to assign tasks to chatbots and review their output. However, humans will remain the driving force when it comes to the creative component of working with texts. They will generate ideas that evoke emotional and intellectual responses from the audience.

But what about people, who create visuals?

Artists, designers, and picture editors 

Electronic Christmas Cards, Arthur Radebaugh

Visual creators are deeply involved in the realm of interacting with artificial intelligence. They actively leverage AI services and neural networks to automate various processes in working with visual content.

These tools prove invaluable for creating textures, colour schemes, and even changing the style of images. Transforming an ordinary photo into a painting reminiscent of Gauguin, Rembrandt, or Dali has become incredibly popular. However, the true power of AI lies in its ability to generate original content quickly. Provide a text description, and you can receive many corresponding picture variations—what could be easier?

At first glance, such tools could render many artists and designers redundant, especially those serving websites and periodicals. But it’s more complex than it seems. 

Firstly, most AI services currently excel in generating images for simplistic requests. Asking a neural network to draw a dog is one thing, but asking it to draw a terrier in a spacesuit walking on Mars is an entirely different challenge.

Experience has shown that obtaining the desired image requires diligence, reformulating and refining requests multiple times, and potentially trying various services. Even the most successful outcome may require fine-tuning using traditional tools, ranging from graphic editors to pencils and brushes.

Of course, some authors settle for the first results that come to mind, bypassing the entire process. In reality, only a little has fundamentally changed from the pre-AI era: individuals would grab the first picture they found in a search engine query, while others would carefully examine search results, using them as inspiration and a foundation for further work.

Modern professionals working with visual content must stay informed about AI technology advancements and familiarize themselves with the capabilities of relevant tools. Each tool has nuances and peculiarities, necessitating proficiency with multiple services and their appropriate application. Understanding how neural networks operate and what to expect from them enables designers and artists to create superior content.

Nevertheless, AI technology cannot replace perception, creativity, skills, experience, intuition, and an artist’s unique approach. In light of this, the immediate future unfolds: artists who prefer to avoid delving into working with images will inundate the internet with millions of mundane images generated by AI services. They will refrain from analyzing, selecting, or refining the results produced by neural networks.

However, technology cannot replace artists accustomed to relying on creative approaches. With artificial intelligence, they will discover and enhance captivating visual images and solutions based on original ideas.

What about people who directly work with other people, like sales managers  — will they be restocked with robots?

Sales managers

Cash Registers That Understand Speech, Arthur Radebaugh

In sales, artificial intelligence will prove indispensable for automating various processes, such as handling inquiries, sending notifications, and disseminating information about products and services.

AI tools will analyze data to identify the most efficient working methods. Even complex tasks like predictive analytics, which often rely on mere guesswork, will likely see significant improvements with AI. These advancements will empower managers to make informed decisions and enhance sales strategies.

Moreover, artificial intelligence will become an invaluable assistant in the training process for sales managers, helping them discover relevant materials and references.

“But what about chatbots replacing human salespeople and pushing people out of jobs?” some may wonder. It’s imprudent to argue that AI won’t replace humans in certain customer interactions, particularly regarding simple actions or providing basic information.

As AI sales technology advances, it will have no trouble offering simple recommendations, suggesting alternatives, and showcasing related products. However, let’s be honest – these tasks don’t require actual sales skills. Humans aren’t necessary for such almost mechanical work.

Indeed, certain shops and services may solely rely on AI sellers. The true value of humans lies in conducting engaging presentations, handling “difficult” customers, fostering an emotional connection, and executing the captivating work of promoting new products and services. It won’t be long before AI learns the delicate art of individually matching each potential customer, as emotional connections are key.

Presently, these specialists are rare and highly sought-after in the job market. With the rise of robotic automation in sales, they will become the hallmark of brands that strive to be esteemed and reputable. “A dedicated professional human manager at your service” is a possible VIP option.

Conclusion

As you can see, the future is far from bleak. Artificial intelligence and robots will handle all the mundane and routine tasks, while humans will shine in creative endeavors. Will the development of AI technology bring significant changes to human life? Most certainly. But there’s no need to paint a grim picture of the future. We’ve overcome greater challenges before. Every new technology, from the steam engine to the airplane to the computer, swiftly transformed our lives, consistently defying the predictions of skeptics for the better.

—

Andrei Tkachenko for Pitch Avatar