Unpopular Opinion: AI Is Not Here For Your Job
Technology has always disrupted work. Each wave killed jobs and created even more opportunities. AI is no different.
AI is not here for your job. I know that sounds like a hot take, but hear me out.
Technology has always existed and will always exist. Two million years ago, tools and fire were the technology of the day. Did they take away jobs? Maybe. But they also gave communities more time for other activities and helped them evolve.
The Pattern Repeats
Did machines take away factory jobs? Yes. But here's the thing — if a machine can place a screw better than you can, then you probably should be doing something better with your time. We don't give ourselves enough credit as humans. We're infinitely resourceful. We have a natural ability to learn.
That factory worker that was replaced with a machine can learn something new. They weren't born knowing how to assemble that specific component — somebody taught them. Which means they could learn to do something else, something that pays more, like maintenance on said machine.
The computer. Did it take away jobs? Sure, but it created millions more. Did the internet take away jobs? Of course, but it brought the world closer together.
Small Business Is the Real Story
Many people see businesses as monsters — this amorphous entity that's always looking for reasons to take jobs away. But who created the jobs in the first place?
Here's what most people miss: small businesses account for 99% of the businesses in the country and employ more than 40% of the private workforce. It is these small businesses that benefit the most from AI and automation. For them, AI means they can level the playing field with the enterprise.
It's About Making Things Better
I specifically said better, more efficiently, and at a lower cost. I do not approve of replacing something with a cheaper version if it is not at least as good and as efficient as it was before.
If you tell me you can get an AI receptionist for my physician's office and I can get my appointment set without a single minute of hold time — please do it. Because I have better things to do than wait 25 minutes on the line.
AI is going to take away some jobs. But it's going to give us a chance to do more of what matters. Personally, I think it's a good thing that we're getting better at automating, because it gives me more time to be with my family and focus on what's important.