Career coach and co-founder of The Workers Journal Eunice Asante explores the pros and cons of artificial intelligence (AI) and how you can use AI to invest in your future.
I was recently watching Steven Bartlett's podcast ‘The Diary Of A CEO’ on YouTube, and he was interviewing Mo Gawdat, an ex-Google officer and Artificial Intelligence (AI) expert.
They discussed the topic of AI taking over and what would happen to everyone's jobs. This discussion got me thinking: are we all too reliant on AI and is AI a threat to our careers and employment or a blessing?
The problem with AI
It's easy to understand why the possibilities with AI are endless. But this very fact also creates problems with AI. One of the biggest threats to people’s careers is that AI is quicker, smarter, and able to access the world's information at a click.
AI is less likely to make mistakes and can be programmed to complete tasks on repeat and without grumbling, taking breaks or having sick days. How can humans ever compete with AI? With an impressive list of possibilities with AI, future career opportunities may look bleak for humans.
Will AI take over our job?
This episode of ‘The Diary Of A CEO’ started with Mo talking about his background and experience; what AI is and how he got started in it.
As the episode unfolded, two things dawned on me: the first is just how advanced AI is and how quickly this industry is advancing.
The second is how much of our lives are already dependent on AI. For example, how long could you last without asking Google, Siri or Alexa a question?
From listening to this episode, I realised we will inevitably depend more on AI as a way of life, but what does that mean for our jobs?
Throughout history, there has been many examples of technological advances that threatened to take over jobs. Many industries have faced the threat of technology replacing humans and taking over.
For example, when the internet became public in 1993, it threatened to disrupt the way we worked. Forty years on and the internet has changed how we work, socialise and conduct business.
But the internet has also opened the door to countless possibilities and given birth to new industries that would be impossible without this technology. The truth is, as we create new technology, this inevitably replaces jobs. The flip side is that this also creates market demand, possibilities, and new job opportunities. Therefore, the real threat is to people who need to upskill and move with the times.
Without the use of AI during the pandemic, recruitment would have come to a standstill, says Eunice Asante
How recruiters use AI
During the pandemic, we saw a huge shift in where people worked and how people were recruited to positions. Organisations quickly switched from human-powered recruitment to digital tools and algorithms to streamline recruitment.
For example, screening software is more commonly used that scans CVs/resumes, digital profiles, and online candidate information to find applicants that best match an employer's requirements.
AI is even used in online interviewing tools to assess performance by analysing speech patterns, body language, facial expressions, and general behaviour to predict a person’s suitability.
Without the use of AI during the pandemic, recruitment would have come to a standstill.
Since the pandemic, organisations have continued to use AI and digital tools in recruitment, opening up all sorts of possibilities for international recruitment and a genuinely remote way of working.
However, you need not fear using AI in recruitment. If you are suitable for a position, AI is programmed to assess this. If not, work with a career coach to help position yourself in the best possible way to beat the algorithm.
AI - friend or foe?
The introduction of AI brings a genuine change to our way of life and the way we carry out work. But as previously explained, AI is, in its simplest form, a tool that we decide how to use. AI creates possibilities, but we must be able to see and utilise these possibilities.
We should all think about our jobs as opportunities to grow in our skills, and become experts in our craft so that we can better navigate the landscape when there are significant changes or advancements. This is the mindset I'm adopting when thinking about AI.
If my goal is to become an expert at my craft, my approach is how AI can help advance me towards this goal. It is better to think like this than to resist change, do nothing, and hope for the best.
There are always going to be things that threaten our way of life. The challenge is to prepare for changes in a way that safeguards you and your career.
AI and its flaws
The introduction of AI into our working lives should be met with caution and curiosity. It's important to note that there are significant flaws with AI. For example, because AI takes data influenced by humans, humans are prone to biases, there is a huge potential for biases and unsafe decision-making with AI. It's also important to avoid becoming over-reliant on AI.
However, I'm excited to see what the future brings and how technology will continue to impact how we live and work.
With AI’s introduction and integration into the workplace, now is the time to start understanding the technology, looking for opportunities, and paying attention to shifts in industry and demand. AI could become an ally if you decide.
Until next time
Eunice