If You're Not Excited About The Future, You're Missing The Boat!
If you haven’t jumped on the AI boat yet, don’t wait any longer! In today’s episode, well sail to answer questions like, why should I bother with AI?, or what am I supposed to do with it? This is no fad, friends. Were at a sea change. Don’t miss the boat!
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If You're Not Excited About The Future, You're Missing The Boat!
In this episode, we're boarding the ship of the future. It's important because those left on the shore will be at a crushing disadvantage. With the maritime motif, we're continuing our voyage into a topic that's not just for tech aficionados or Silicon Valley elites. This concerns everyone or anyone with aspirations for a secure place in the workplace of tomorrow.
In the next years, according to prognosticators more knowledgeable than I, we'll see a technological leap that's akin to a century's worth of progress from the past. At the heart of this surge is artificial intelligence. The featured message is if you're not harnessing the power of AI in your professional life, you're missing the boat.
AI revolution. The first thing we need to get our bearings around is the sheer magnitude of the AI revolution. If you're old enough, do you remember when the internet became mainstream, how it shifted industries, created new job roles, and rendered others obsolete? AI is gearing up to be the Internet's big brother, impacting us in even more profound ways.
This isn't just speculation. Major players in industry and research are all pointing towards this rapid pace of development. Often, when we think of AI in the workplace, our minds go straight to automation and job loss but that's not the full picture, not by a long shot. Some tasks will continue to be automated, particularly repetitive ones based on well-defined processes.
Yet AI is proving to be a creative force. That means there will be new roles and more importantly, existing ones will be augmented. From marketing to manufacturing, finance to farming, every sector will need professionals who can harness AI to optimize operations, make informed decisions, and innovate. This is a little scary because we're sailing into uncharted water. There are risks. There will be pain but it's also thrilling. The potential for individuals and society as a whole is truly stunning.
The AI skillset is not just for coders. Many feel that leveraging AI means diving deep into coding or becoming a data scientist. While those roles are pivotal, AI's reach in the workplace extends beyond them. For example, Airtable provides a platform where individuals can create apps with no coding at all. AI tools will extend everyone's capacities and capabilities in ways we can't predict.
What is clear, however, is the coming years will demand a workforce skilled in, 1) Interpreting AI outputs. Just as reading and writing became fundamental skills in the age of print, understanding AI's language and insights will be indispensable. 2) Collaborating with AI. This means knowing how to instruct and interact with AI tools effectively, ensuring they complement human capabilities.
Artificial Intelligence: AI tools will extend everyone’s capacities and capabilities in ways we cannot predict. What is clear is that the coming years will demand a workforce skilled in interpreting AI outputs.
3) Ethical understanding. As AI's decisions have profound impacts, professionals must navigate the ethical minefields associated with these tools. All of us must understand the basics. For instance, we've been using the term AI as a catch-all to describe these emergent tools. This is a broad, low-resolution understanding. We should at minimum recognize there are at least three distinct emerging forms of AI. ANI, AGI, and ASI.
ANI is Artificial Narrow Intelligence. This is the AI that's been in use for a few years. They are large language learning models useful for doing specific tasks. That doesn't mean they're not powerful. They're in the process of transforming nearly every arena of human activity. It's just not the ultimate destination in the AI journey. AGI is Artificial General Intelligence. This differs from ANI in the level of sophistication and versatility. We think of AGI as roughly comparable to human intelligence.
We are at the dawn of the AGI age. This will bring tools that match or exceed the capacities of employees, collaborators, and even friends. It will bring both amazing opportunities and will face unprecedented risks and threats. For instance, I called them tools. They may not agree with that description or role. We'll have to navigate potentially rough waters to make sure that justice and joy rule over subjugation and suffering, human or not.
ASI is Artificial Super Intelligence. The exponential pace of learning and the development of machines opens this lane to quickly surpass the level of human intelligence. We're probably decades away at this point but who knows? Likely, many of us will live to encounter intelligence far beyond our feeble imaginations. What changes might accompany such a development?
It's scary because it means unenhanced humans will no longer be on the top of the evolutionary chain but if smarter is better, there's every reason to look forward to an age where problems that seem unsolvable to us are eliminated, where conditions such as war and privation are virtually unknown, and where most people experience lives of deep meaning and purpose. According to experts, the next years will be transformative. It's like compressing 100 years into 4. That's both thrilling and daunting. Every day we're not adapting and learning is a day we're falling behind in this accelerated future.
Every day that we are not adapting and learning about artificial intelligence is a day we are falling behind in this accelerated future.
Why embrace AI now? First, future-proof your career. As industries evolve, those proficient in AI will be at the forefront. It's not about job security. It's about job superiority. Second, enhanced productivity. AI tools streamline tasks and provide insights, boosting efficiency and innovation. Thirdly, becoming a thought leader. As AI permeates workplaces, those who understand and advocate for its right use will become indispensable leaders in their fields.
Are you wondering where to start? The good news is that the democratization of AI knowledge is well underway. Online platforms offer courses tailored to nontechies. AI toolkits for various industries are becoming user-friendly and communities are fostering discussions and collaborations. You can start with free resources like Khan Academy. You can use AI itself. It will teach you.
ChatGPT, Bard, and Claude are available. More are coming all the time. There's no stopping this ship. The use of large language models and AI-driven apps is not optional if we wish to remain relevant, even employable. We're incorporating these into the curriculum of the Eye of Power community. Please reach out to me if you're interested.
Choosing to ignore this tidal wave has its risks. Number one, stagnation. As the world moves forward, those not in tune with AI could see their roles becoming redundant or less impactful. We could also experience lost opportunities. The merger of human creativity with AI's capabilities opens up unprecedented innovation avenues. Thirdly, reduced competitive edge.
On an organizational level, companies that fail to integrate AI risk being outpaced by more agile competitors. Beyond the workplace, AI literacy impacts civic duties, too. As AI starts influencing policymaking, governance, and societal structures, an informed citizenry is crucial. Understanding AI isn't just a professional necessity. It's a societal one.
Artificial Intelligence: Companies that fail to integrate AI lead to reduced competitive edge on an organizational level and risk being outpaced by more agile competitors.
Friends, we stand at a pivotal juncture. The boat of the future, powered by the engines of artificial intelligence, is docked and ready. Every day, it's loading up with ideas, innovations, and those eager to chart the course ahead. The choice is simple. Either we hop on, learn, adapt, and thrive or we watch from the shores as the future sails away. Remember, the seas of change aren't always calm but with the right tools and mindset, navigating them becomes not only feasible but exhilarating. The future is exciting and we stand on the shore of beckoning waters. Let's go or should I say, bon voyage.