Embracing Change and Finding Happiness in the Unknown
Life is always full of surprises, and as we venture into the realm of artificial intelligence, we are witnessing an exciting new chapter in human history. Like the twists and turns of our own personal journeys, the development of AI brings with it the promise of new paths, people, and ideas. It's a thrilling time to be alive, and as we continue to explore the ever-evolving landscape of AI, it's essential to stay the course, follow our hearts, and remain true to our ideals.
In a world that is continuously evolving, our conscience serves as a guiding light, and it's essential to listen to our inner voice as we navigate the uncharted territory of AI. Happiness, after all, is what we are all striving for, and the advancements in AI have the potential to create a happier, more fulfilling future for all.
Just like life, the progression of AI is filled with unexpected events and bittersweet moments. We cannot always time everything perfectly, but as long as we can adapt and continue to move forward, we are on the right track. The recent breakthroughs in AI, such as ChatGPT by OpenAI, are prime examples of the incredible progress we have made, and yet, there is still so much more to discover.
If you are working in the service economy you would have to be fighting hard to not see the headlines that AI is coming for your job soon. It’s been plastered all over the internet and it sure is intimidating. Publications like Forbes (1) and CNBC (2) are shouting that you’ll lose your job, all the while there are running lists of tech layoffs (3) as this rolling recession continues.
Embracing this journey requires constant self-improvement and the willingness to learn. As we continue to develop AI technology, we must also strive to improve our own outlook, personality, goals, and maturity. We have a unique opportunity to put ourselves through a progression of self that many in history will not have a chance for, and it's vital that we seize this opportunity with open arms.
The future of AI is filled with both promise and uncertainty, but it's up to us to face these challenges head-on and learn from them. It may take time to muster up the confidence and ability to turn our thoughts into actual decisions, but once we do, the rewards will be well worth the effort.
Reinventing yourself is not easy but if it were it would not be so rewarding. Alas, please do not forget, this is not the first time in history new technologies came for your job. Farming and agriculture (4) made up the super majority of work for over 50 years in America. The rise of new techniques and technologies which had the ability to seem as mind blowing, if not more impressive than artificial intelligence, came their way.
The logistical disruption planes, trains, and automobiles had on the broader economies must have felt similar if not more impactful. If you take a moment to linger, the disruption of 1900-1950 (5) seems much more incredible than 1970 - 2020 (6). I mean, come on, we had air conditioning in 1902, what else did you need?!
The point here is the disruption will likely be much slower than the ‘end of times’ article you are reading on today’s digital newsstand. The initial rush to adopt this new technology will pan out for some businesses and not for others. You will likely see major improvements in software and your experiences using them.
For example, who doesn’t want, “Netflix as a prompt” where you can ask to watch an incredibly tailored movie? “Netflix please show me a dystopian future movie set on a goldilocks planet starring Kevin Bacon and myself, make it 1 hour and 45 minutes long because I have a rocket to catch.”
My question back would be what kind of true disruption is this? It’s a service economy disruption in the content and media industry. You would then need to ask yourself, well, what kind of device are they watching this content on? Has there been a new piece of hardware invented? Are they watching it on an Oculus VR? How many more Oculus VR competitors are there now? Have there been 50,000 new high tech jobs created because of that? Is it a wearable watch that pulls it up on a hologram? Whoa, how many companies do that? Are there another 200,000 jobs there?
These are all questions we do not know the exact answer to. What we do know is historically old jobs get replaced with new jobs.
If you look at history, pandemic aside, with all the technological disruption that has happened, the highest sustained rate of unemployment was in 1933 (7) and it was the Great Depression. What caused this? A stock market crash, collapse of world trade, government politics, bank failures, and panics.
So the short answer is, no. Even though sliced bread was invented in 1930, technology didn’t come for your job.
New inventions and technologies are not coming for you, they are creating an opportunity for you to go create a new one.
As we stand at the precipice of a new era in artificial intelligence, let us boldly step forward into the unknown, eager to learn, grow, and find happiness in the ever-changing landscape of AI. Together, we can forge a brighter, more fulfilling future for all – one that is fueled by the limitless potential of AI and the indomitable spirit of human innovation.
(2) https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/15/these-are-the-tech-jobs-most-threatened-by-chatgpt-and-ai.html
(3) https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/27/tech-industry-layoffs
(5) https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/inventions-between-1900-and-1950
(6) https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/g24668233/best-inventions/