Unleashing the Power: Embrace the Fearful Storm of AI and Automation
Dedicated to Keri Atkins, who continues to ask the questions that inspire me to ask questions ending in these creations.
Technology as it surges us forward at an electrifying pace. Machines conquer new frontiers daily, sparking a heated debate: Are AI and automation a bold move or a treacherous betrayal? Is this very document a primary example?
“There’s a certain feeling that happens when a new technology adjusts your thinking about computing. Google did it. Firefox did it. AWS did it. iPhone did it. OpenAI is doing it with ChatGPT.” ~ Aaron Levie
History whispers tales of paradoxical progress. Once upon a time, monks and scribes toiled tirelessly, pouring their souls into manuscripts. The toxic inks that poisoned their bodies marred their noble dedication. Then came the printing press, a thunderous revolution that threatened their livelihoods. But wait! It also saved them from a slow death by poison. Efficiency soared, knowledge became a democratic right, and human progress danced in its wake. I suggest the work of Lydia Pyne. A writer and historian specializing in the history of science and material culture.
“As a writer, that moment every few years when I buy a new laptop and find out that all the word processing stuff has slightly changed again (stuff I spend every working day using) is like getting into bed at night and finding some mad robot where you expected your wife to be. — John Niven”
Accountants trembled in the face of spreadsheets while grammarians sneered at grammar checkers. Yet these tools etched paths of streamlined brilliance, leaving human errors in the dust. Today, they’re everywhere, seamlessly integrating into our work lives, propelling us toward productivity’s zenith in a distant horizon.
Marvel at the mind-bending prowess of Boston Robotics and Tesla. Witness robots dancing in precision with rhythm, leaving us amazed and filled with a chilling sense of dread. The impending “robotic Armageddon” lurks in the shadows. But let’s lift the veil of illusion. Complex human-driven models train those machines. They are tools, mere reflections of our drive for efficiency and excellence we place withing them. Seek the truth beyond their flashy facade by scouring social media for robot blooper reels.
“Automation does not need to be our enemy. I think machines can make life easier for men if men do not let the machines dominate them.” ~John F. Kennedy.
Fear embraces us, gripping us with gnarled fingers whenever change looms. They cast automation as the villain, a menacing threat to our jobs and the world as we know it. But let’s unveil the hidden gifts of these technological marvels. Consider demanding professions like underwater welding, coal mining, and oil rig management. Lives dangle precariously, sacrificed to satisfy our insatiable hunger for resources. Can automation shoulder these risks, sparing human lives from the jaws of danger?
“If we do it right, we might actually be able to evolve a form of work that taps into our uniquely human capabilities and restores our humanity. The ultimate paradox is that this technology may become the powerful catalyst that we need to reclaim our humanity.” –John Hagel.”
Witness the birth of AI and automation, and resist the temptation to grant them humanity’s face. Instead, cherish their true worth and limitless potential. Machines lack our imaginative flame, but they magnify our intentions. With their aid, progress ignites like wildfire, just as the printing press, the spreadsheet, and the spell checker once blazed.
“Even if I take him out for three hours every day and go and chat to him for another hour, that leaves twenty hours for him all alone with nothing to do. Oh, why can’t dogs read?” ― Nancy Mitford, The Pursuit of Love
Fear clings to us like an old friend, aching to eclipse the brilliance of possibilities. But let’s not cower in the future’s face. Instead, embrace the technologies that can transform our existence, heal our human wounds, and conquer the challenges that plague our time. We have always paved the path to survival and advancement with innovation and adaptation. It’s time to harness this power, surf the storm, and look for the blue sky of a brighter tomorrow.
