“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization. It’s important that we develop it with caution, especially in education and career development.” Elon Musk. True, if we idle, may not be true, if we start revving up today. Its counterpart, i.e. the natural intelligence or human intelligence, must keep an eye on its own prophesied decay. AI today is not a storm in a teacup, but it puts us in the eye of the storm. The relative calm of convenience we feel at the center of it is the time afforded to identify the brewing vulnerabilities and take necessary measures for securing our future.
No one can deny the huge impact of AI on the way we learn, work and live. This quiet transformation carries a potential mayhem for our future. Questions are being asked regarding what to learn, how to learn and will subsequent careers develop and not made redundant by AI. Let us see how we find possible answers to these queries.
AI is changing the world of work. Will we resist or evolve with it?
Considering the fact that in Pakistan a majority of our younger lot is employed in blue collar jobs, therefore such jobs can be clubbed foremost into a package for analysis, categorizing them into those in obsolescence i.e. likely to be replaced, and in those which can show resilience. People related to accounting and book keeping have already started to feel the heat, available accounting tools had already made the shift happen owing to time saving and more accuracy. Traditional bookkeepers, entry level accountants and payroll clerks are on the way out. These roles are being performed more efficiently by AI driven platforms. Same holds true for data entry operators, receptionists and administrative clerks, roles of which have been taken over by Siri, Google Assistant or Chat GPT powered bots. Customer care services have taken a new turn by dehumanizing roles like call center agents, help desk clerks and basic technical support staff and this doesn’t stop here, bots are getting smarter with passage of time. Factory and warehousing jobs are also succumbing to AI driven platforms taking over manufacturing, inventory management and warehousing roles.
Next comes the category of jobs which can remain safe being evolving, adaptive and innovating, at the same time. This category ranges from healthcare including mental health and psychology, legal, governance / ethics with technological perspective, to education and creative / design fields. One common denominator to these fields is human interface, manifested through inspiring, mentoring, analyzing, discussing, touch, empathy, and complex decision making. These manifestations imply that doctors, nursing, psychologists, therapists, counselors, teachers specially those related to child development and special education, curriculum designers, art directors, content creators and game designers will be expected to adapt and innovate integrating AI in their folds, thus securing their related jobs. Secure jobs mean, degrees related to these jobs will still be pursued, through redesigned curriculums and course works which in addition to imparting relevant knowledge also incorporate AI skillset for the students.
More than formal education, the onus to remain relevant in times of AI shall lie on prospecting students and professionals who are working already in respective fields. What to do is, is a question which comes to mind to many. In my opinion students, and professionals transforming into employers or employees, need to adopt continuing education i.e. learning continuously, as a way of life. Screen times have to be dedicated to learning instead of surfing, watching reels and posting on social media. The websites offering online, free or paid courses, should be taking more and regular hits. Learning of data analytics, digital marketing and AI basics will be imperative, regardless the field of business we are in. The attendance for this learning need to be inclusive, foremost the retired lot and senior citizens of Pakistan. Many, and perpetually living in fear of pension stoppages or depreciation of incomes due to rising inflation. So flex your rusty finger joints and cerebral cortexes to be part of universal learning corps with an aim to work and earn online to augment your incomes.
The skills palette need to be blended more with different disciplines, to offshoot more interdisciplinary careers. Some examples to this effect can be a cybersecurity legal expert, an attorney at law responsible for developing legal frameworks for cybersecurity, therefore expected to have a relevant skillset. A psychologist working on the basis of analytical outcomes of previous data can morph into a role of behavioral analyst, with more hindsight in support. Similarly, a healthcare worker when makes use of AI can transform the job role into a medical data consultant. Teachers wading their way into AI can be better off to teach the students ethical use of AI, a concept which provides for the foundation on which AI can remain humanized. Real life transitions are already taking place. This blending of skills and roles can considerably shorten the time lapse in synthesis of knowledge from information derived from different datasets. Baseline tech skills have to be learnt to forge a working relationship with AI. Let us also not forget that artificial intelligence still struggles with human nuances like emotional intelligence, critical thinking, communication and adaptability and here lies the niche on which we can build upon our relevance with AI.
Last but not the least, AI coming in is not the end of work for humans, it is just the end of work the way humans knew it to be. Division of work, repetitive jobs, work routines, and workplaces are changing or even fading. Jobs based on human nuances are still and likely to thrive in future too. It is up to us to choose either to compete or to collaborate. Natural intelligence wants us to collaborate with artificial intelligence. So let us do it.
The writer is a freelance columnist and can be reached at zulfiqar.shirazi @gmail.com.