The AI Revolution is Underway
But it Won't Take Your 9-5 Job Any Time Soon
6 Minute Read
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made tremendous strides in recent years, and it has become an integral part of many industries, the secret it though that this has been happening for years already. Technological innovations such as ChatGPT are leading the way for this next stage of the digital revolution, but the "AI Revolution" has been ongoing for some time.
From healthcare to finance to manufacturing, AI is changing the way we work and live. However, despite the many benefits that AI brings, there are still some misconceptions about its capabilities. One of the most common concerns is that AI will take over jobs and leave many people unemployed. While it is true that some jobs are at risk of automation, there are several reasons why AI is unlikely to replace corporate jobs any time soon.
AI is Not a Substitute for Human Intelligence
AI is good at automating repetitive tasks and making predictions based on patterns, but it is not a substitute for human intelligence. AI lacks the creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence that humans possess. A key component of "corporate" jobs are the requirements of high-level thinking, decision-making, and communication skills, which are not easily replicable by machines. Where humans are able to absorb and respond to this information, AI can only learn from what it knows and giving this context is often complicated and slower than a human.
AI is Not Capable of Handling Ambiguity
One of the biggest challenges of AI is handling ambiguity. Humans can navigate through situations that are not well-defined or ambiguous, but machines struggle with such scenarios. In the corporate world, ambiguity is prevalent, and decisions are often based on incomplete or conflicting information. While AI can provide insights and recommendations, humans still need to make the final call. So where AI can help in a decision, the contextual information allows humans to make the right decision when presented with options.
AI Requires Large Amounts of Data and Training Takes Time
AI algorithms require large amounts of data to learn and improve their performance. Take Large Language Models (LLM) such as ChatGPT for example, they were trained on a snapshot of the internet. This snapshot was taken years before ChatGPT was released, partly because the training takes time, but also because this data needed to be contextualised so the AI knew what to do when given a prompt. This training takes time, and whilst subsequent training takes less time, this can be a slow process to perfect.
This data requirement might not be a problem for tasks that generate large amounts of data, such as image recognition or language translation, it can be a challenge for tasks that generate less data. Many corporate jobs involve tasks that are not data-intensive, such as managing people, handling client relationships, or strategic planning. In cases such as these AI is a powerful tool that can augment human capability, but is unlikely to replace the need for humans any time soon.
AI Can Only Do What It Is Trained to Do
AI is only as good as the data it is trained on and the algorithms used to process that data. While AI can excel at specific tasks, it cannot perform tasks outside its area of expertise. Whilst tools like MidJourney and ChatGPT give the illusion of original thought, it is important to recognise that these tools are only able to repeat information it already knows. It does this in a way that convincingly replicates a human, but if it hasn't seen something before it can't produce it.
Corporate jobs often require a broad range of skills and knowledge, and they involve tasks that may not be predictable or well-defined. Again this means that many tasks we perform in our day to day jobs might be assisted by AI but fully replacing humans is not a simple task for AI to be trained on. Furthermore in some industries regulations such as the GDPR prevent full automation of decision making, requiring human intervention and oversight
AI Cannot Replace the Human Touch
One of the most significant advantages of humans over machines is the ability to connect with people on an emotional level. Corporate jobs often involve building relationships, managing teams, and providing support to customers, which require empathy, kindness, and patience. While AI can assist humans in these tasks, it cannot replace the human touch entirely.
AI is Still New
While tools such as ChatGPT and MidJourney might make it seem like AI is ready to take over the role of humans in the workplace, that is not the case. AI is still in its relative infancy, this is just the beginning of it making an impact. Sure, it makes it easier to do tasks, but then the car did the same thing for the role of the horse; we still have horses, but in a different way. The world changes, but change takes time and there is always room for humans.
Industry 4.0
The adoption of technology and the increasing role of AI is not new, in fact this transformation has been impacting supply chain industries for the past decade with Industry 4.0. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, or I4, used technology such as AI and VR to build smart factories that revolutionised the manufacturing industry. These industries still use humans, they are not fully replaced, however humans are used in different ways than they were before, leveraging the unique skillsets that cannot be replaced by a machine. As a result of this transformation, companies involved in I4 initiatives who prioritised helping their workforce adapt to this change have seen increased productivity, reduced costs, and better efficiency.
Key Takeaways
In conclusion, while AI has made significant strides and become an integral part of many industries, it is unlikely to replace corporate jobs any time soon. It is important to remember that the advances in AI are still relatively new and there is still more to learn before it can fully take over the roles of humans in the workplace. The role of AI will expand into a range of industries with recent developments, but learning from industries who are already on this transformative journey, we can leverage AI to help rather than replace humans.
How Demonstrandum Can Help
At Demonstrandum, we understand the challenges that businesses face in a world where technology is changing rapidly. We provide solutions tailored to your business needs, whether you need to optimize your operations, educate your workforce, or develop a strategy to stay ahead of the competition. Our team of experts has the knowledge and experience to help you navigate the complexities of AI and other emerging technologies, and to ensure that your business is future-proof.
Our goal is to help you harness the power of data and technology to achieve your business objectives. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you stay ahead in the age of AI.