The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution presents some colossal crossroads.<\/p>\n
For workers, will AI take their jobs and livelihoods or enhance their skillsets and careers?<\/p>\n
For employers, is AI a new path to productivity, creativity or both? Will automation and autonomous systems result in growing profits and innovations but reduced head counts and payrolls?<\/p>\n
AI advocates (including those in CEO and other corporate suites) see innovative advancements and substantial productivity gains from machine-learning, automation and autonomous systems.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Breeanna Whitehead<\/p>\n
Qwoted.com<\/p>\n
Those worried about artificial intelligence fear a dystopian future where human capital and creativity gives way to autonomous supercomputers, machines and robotics.<\/p>\n
But both sides of the coin agree: the world is changing\u2014 fast.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI is now the smartest person in the room,\u201d said Breeanna Whitehead, a Texas-based AI consultant who works with businesses and entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n
She said AI is fast becoming key to knowledge-based and creative work, requiring workers to adapt and pivot, pointing to past technology changes.<\/p>\n
Whitehead said some jobs, such as SEO (search engine optimization) analysts, could go the way of telephone operators because of advancements.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, when you are no longer the smartest person in the room, what\u2019s important,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Whitehead said the key for employees is to pivot and utilize AI as a productivity and creativity tool and to enhance their \u201csoft skills\u201d that entail face-to-face and other human contact.<\/p>\n
\u2018EVERY JOB\u2019<\/p>\n
These sea changes aren\u2019t exclusive to technology jobs and operations with AI. They\u2019re tied to new technologies presenting themselves across the economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery job is now a tech job,\u201d said Mohit Bhende, CEO and cofounder of Karat, a Seattle-based AI company that screens and interviews hiring candidates for large technology firms.<\/p>\n
Bhende said as more employers invest in AI, automation and data centers to fuel them, they are in a way deciding between machines and man.<\/p>\n
He points to the big data center investments by big tech firms, such as Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook\u2019s parent company).<\/p>\n
\u201cI do think they are making a trade-off every day between human capital and GPU,\u201d Bhende said, referring to initial investments in the backbone of AI and automation, such as graphic processing units and other technology hardware.<\/p>\n
Bhende sees a divide among employers who see AI as way to improve productivity versus a creativity tool to create new products.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ones who talk about productivity talk about efficiency, cutting things, automating human processes,\u201d\u00a0Bhende said. \u201cI think the companies who are going to get ahead and win in the coming (years) think about customers first. What else can I go build?\u201d<\/p>\n
PREP TIME<\/p>\n
A new analysis by Boston Consulting Group sees as many as 55% of American jobs \u201creshaped\u201d by AI adaptations and use and as many as 15% of jobs could be eliminated.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A Unitree G1 Edu humanoid robot makes an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange in August. The age of artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous systems confronts workers and their jobs. (AP Photo\/Ted Shaffrey)<\/p>\n
Ted Shaffrey<\/p>\n
Neil Cawse, CEO and founder of Geotab, a Toronto-based transportation technology company with operations throughout the U.S., said workers need to be open and willing to evolve in the AI world.<\/p>\n