Gen AI’s Impact on the Workforce and Society
The story of ancient Rome’s gradual rise stands as a testament to its enduring vision, yet even then its empire declined. Despite the Ancient Roman’s prowess in engineering, innovation, and organisation, the decline of the Roman Empire beckons the question: could it happen again? Today, we again face challenges that have the potential to disrupt our way of life but this time it’s on a global scale.
Will the development of artificial intelligence pose a threat to humanity?
The rise of Generative AI technology, explored in a recent Rand Corporation study looking at technology patents, revealed that nearly all occupations had exposure to AI technology patents. It suggests generative AI has the potential to have a significant impact on the jobs that exist today. While generative AI holds promise for solving environmental and societal problems, given the uncertainty of predicting AI developments, a more cautious approach may has been touted by some. Central to the story is the tech industry where the absence of a clear vision for humankind necessitates government intervention to mitigate against negative impacts. The challenge in this new technology-driven era is the control that sits with a few industry players who have historically offered little in the way of protecting consumers from misuse of personal data and the spread of misinformation. Without a conscious understanding of the outcomes that we seek for humanity, we risk perpetuating the same inequalities and biases that exist in society today. The lesson learned after the Global Finance Crisis is we cannot rely on governments and self-governance to create a fairer system. It is everyone’s responsibility.
Modern history tells us it is inequality that is our greatest villain and a cause of societal breakdown. Inequality creates the conditions for conflict and division that can destablise even the most stable of governments. Few are aware of its impact given its subtle influence. Inequality can be legitimised under the guise of competition where limitations of supply or restrictions to access are a means to elevate prices. The most obvious examples can be found in the cost of petrol and housing today. It may be present in policies that favour strict hiring practices which encourage only certain genders and age groups to apply, it may be in work conditions that favour one group of workers and not others, it is in the design of products that can’t be used by people with disabilities and most critically, it is when access to basic education and finance is restricted. The problem humanity has is not only access but fair distribution of the benefits.
Talk of generative AI’s ability to one day surpass human intelligence is a convenient distraction that diverts attention away from the more immediate concern. Data used to train machine learning often carries human biases, which, if left unaddressed, can result in unfavourable decisions for certain groups. If bias exists today, then a model would likely replicate this bias. As an example, a recruitment firm uses AI to screen potential candidates based on a set of desired leadership qualities. Without context of the data collected, an AI decision may result in an unfair selection. Without creating processes that mitigate against biases in AI models, we risk building systems that could make humanity worse off.
As the world charges forward into an AI-driven future, a fundamental question surfaces: Should we use technology as an opportunity to improve equality? The answer to this question may depend upon the side of the ledger you stand. As more people are impacted by generative AI, no doubt the issue will garner more interest. My hope for humanity is that my rights will have equal representation in decisions made and these decisions result positive outcomes that benefit all. Above all else, we should not lose sight of what makes us human. For it is our humanity that makes us the “superior” species.
