Coffee Break: Artificial Intelligence
How the rise of AI impacts humanism and employment
Bryant: Hi, it’s Bryant, and we're here with Ray and Ellen. Today, we’re going to talk about humanism, technology, and AI. There was a piece in the New York Times titled, "When Your Technical Skills Are Eclipsed, Your Humanity Will Matter More Than Ever,” that sparked this conversation. Ray, why don’t you give us a quick summary?
Ray: The gist of the article is that with the developments of AI, students who have previously all majored in engineering and STEM-heavy majors and are seeking jobs in the job market are at risk, given that 96% of their jobs can be taken over by the development of AI. Now the market is adjusting and looking for students who have stronger humanities skills, which can’t be as easily replaced by AI. Specifically, there will be an increase in the desire for communication majors.
Bryant: Ellen, what are your thoughts?
Ellen: I think this article makes a valid point, but I'm somewhat surprised to see it published in the New York Times. While AI is often discussed and expected to be very transformative in the way we go about our lives in the future, I don’t believe its progress is as rapid as commonly perceived. Technology is constantly evolving, and AI is a part of that puzzle that will continue to grow with the work we do.
However, I don't believe it's dominating our daily lives to the extent some suggest. The importance of humanism has always been emphasized, especially in leadership roles and job interviews. I don't entirely disagree with the article's message, but I'm not convinced it's revolutionary or that AI is drastically changing how we interact with others. Perhaps my perspective, as a physician who regularly interacts with people, influences my view, but I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this matter as well.
Bryant: Part of the surprise is the ability for a bot to sound human, and the fact that you can have a conversation with it. It's very sophisticated, with a broad base of information to draw on. This then raises the question of, if it can do this, what else can it do? How are we different from AI?
For instance, you can have Chat GPT write a poem. One of my colleagues, a professional storyteller who's been producing podcasts for many years, Christie Hartman, shared an experience with me: a friend sent her a poem from Chat GPT, and depending on the prompt used, the poem could either be simple or sophisticated. The main difference is on the human side. So it's very interesting, that perspective of what distinguishes us from sophisticated technology at this point. I also want to run through the column. The author of the article pointed out a couple of things as being important for not being replaced by AI: distinct personal voice, presentation skills, childlike talent for creativity, unusual worldviews, empathy, and situational awareness.
I think a distinct personal voice, is important since AI can only create things that have been done before. Of course, if you give infinite monkeys infinite typewriters, eventually one of them will write out Shakespeare, but it’s completely random. Ray or Ellen, what are your thoughts on the specific points David Brooks made about distinctive personal voice, presentation skills, childlike talent for creativity, unusual worldviews, empathy, and situational awareness?
Ray: The idea of creativity struck me because, with so much data available, it's pretty easy for AI to come up with a creative idea that the average person couldn't think of. But it depends on how you define creativity. If it's about a novel idea that no one has ever thought of, then AI can't do that. But if it's about an idea that's new to you and you perceive it as creative, I feel like AI has already reached the point where it can aid you in many creative processes.
Bryant: Once again, it's the blend of humans and AIs that seems to be shaping our future. Your point about creativity is intriguing. Part of creativity involves recognizing what's good, right? So assessing and acknowledging what truly constitutes creativity is essential. I doubt AI's proficiency in this area, as it tends to offer a uniform perspective. Could AI have conceived the iPhone or something else entirely? Ellen, what's your take on this aspect of creativity? Are we discussing permutations and randomness, or is there a distinct human element that sets human creativity apart from AI?
Ellen: Yeah, that's a valid question. I don't have a perfect answer to it because, as you mentioned, much of the groundwork has already been laid. AI collaborates with humans in these interactions, utilizing prompts to produce outcomes. One intriguing perspective on this article or concept is considering the potential of AI. We often discuss the various ways AI could benefit us and its capacity for creativity. However, if AI were to handle routine tasks or mechanical aspects of our jobs or society's functions, allowing humans more time for creativity, it could significantly impact our society. But this scenario seems to be years away, and corporations will likely find alternative ways for us to contribute to society. I guess the purpose of the article is to prompt young people to contemplate these possibilities.
Bryant: Ray, does this change how you think about it? You're committed to going to going to medicine. Do you see your classmates considering this issue?
Ray: I think the advancement of AI is always present in the back of my friends' minds as they graduate college and enter the job market. It’s hard not to wonder how one’s major or value to a company might change, given that AI could advance to a point where many majors become obsolete. We don't truly know the answer yet, but it seems that, at least with the current field of computer science and software engineering, Silicon Valley has been cutting a lot of individuals since they're hiring, and the job market has become a lot scarcer. But I'm sure that with the necessary skill set, one won't be too affected. But the number of people that companies hire might change.
Bryant: That's a good way to end it. Great talk today and join us next time!
Referenced New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/opinion/ai-economy-jobs-colleges.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb