The new way to feel about aI in our daily lives
AI is scary. Yes, I said it. At first, using ChatGPT was fun and all— from creating recipes to getting advice on how to respond to your boss. It wasn’t until I took a step back and realized how fast AI is advancing that I was officially scared…
The fears are undeniable in this new era: as an adult, as an adolescent, or at any stage in life you might be in, it is scary nonetheless.
But what if it’s not all bad? What if we could fit AI into our dAIly lives? (no pun intended.) It’s a question we should all ask ourselves. Go ahead, ask yourself.
In this post, we are going to understand our fears, create a new perspective on AI, embrace change, and discover how to integrate its benefits into our own lives.
Change Your perception
First, let’s change how we think about technology. It’s important to remember that humans created technology— to make our lives better and more efficient.
AI is just the latest step in that evolution. I mean imagine how different our lives would be without the advancement of phones.
In the same way, AI can benefit our daily lives, but only if we let it. .
They might sound extreme, but they’re real concerns that cloud our minds.
Instead letting these fears overwhelm me, I decided to look at AI from a different perspective. And I encourage all of you to do the same.
The Fears
If we want to grow we must overcome our fears, but before growing we have to acknowledge what we fear in the first place. What do we fear about AI? Think about it.
These are the top three AI fears that we are all facing:
If we want to grow we must overcome our fears, but before growing we have to acknowledge what we fear in the first place. What do we fear about AI? I found that the top three fears amongst many people, including me, was…
1) Job replacement
Fear #1: Job replacement. Let’s face it—our jobs are essential for a good quality of life. Yes, for the obvious reason of financial stability, but also for a sense of purpose and direction. While a job doesn’t have to define your purpose, working toward something and using your creativity is part of what makes us human.
We need opportunities to work, grow, and share our ideas. It’s an integral part of our lives. And yes, AI will replace some jobs. But instead of focusing on what we might lose, let’s think about what we can gain.
According to the World Economic Forum, AI might replace 85 million jobs by 2025, but it could also create 97 million new roles. New opportunities will emerge- jobs that will allow us to use our creativity and skills in ways we can’t imagine yet.
We just have to look out for them, adapt, and evolve.
2) The Unknown
The unknown is scary. It always has been. As a kid, you weren’t really scared of the dark; you were scared of what you couldn’t see in the dark, not the dark itself.
AI feels the same way—it’s unknown where it’s headed or how it will affect us. Will it take away our jobs? Make it harder to socialize? Take over any sense of creativity? We don’t know.
But what if the unknown can actually be good for us? What if it pushes us to grow and come out stronger? That’s how we should approach AI, an opportunity for growth.
So if you’re scared of the dark, of what we don’t know, allow your eyes to adjust and you will be able to see that there is nothing to fear.
3) Loss of Creativity
One of my biggest fears with AI is losing what makes us human: our creativity. Our ability to generate ideas and turn them into reality gives our lives meaning. Creating is our way to express ourselves, allowing us to truly be who we are— human.
But how could we lose that when AI was meant to complement us? Instead of diminishing our creativity, AI has the potential to complement and enhance our creativity, freeing us to focus on what truly matters.
I’ll be honest, there’s no denying the intelligence of AI. I can’t always answer the questions I ask ChatGPT, if I knew I wouldn’t be asking. But AI is a different kind of intelligence, more powerful than us in some ways but also more narrow, as the New York Times put it.
The A.I.“mind” lacks consciousness, understanding, biology, self-awareness, emotions… a unique worldview based on a lifetime of distinct and never to be repeated experiences.
David Brooks for The Times
If anything, AI will allow us to become more productive and be able to focus our valuable time on more important things. Rather than taking away what makes us human, AI can create a space for us to reconnect with our qualities: consciousness, emotions, our creativity.
Integration
AI can free us to be more human and allow us to focus on what truly matters.
Humans will never be replaced, even with Elon Musk’s robots soon to be roaming the streets.
We will continue to evolve, to feel, and to grow. In fact, AI might give us the freedom to be more human.
So let’s fit AI into our daily lives. Not just to be more productive and accomplish what we are meant to do, but also to be fully ourselves.
After all, that’s what it means to be human.
