Look, I’m gonna say it
AI isn’t gonna take over the world. Honestly? It’s barely gonna take over your inbox. I’ve been in tech for, like, 20+ years (yes, I’m that old), and I’ve seen this movie before. It’s always the same plot: new tech comes in, everyone freaks out, then we all figure it out and move on. AI? Same thing.
I remember back in ’98, at a conference in Austin, this guy Marcus (not his real name, but let’s call him Marcus) stood up and said, ‘The internet is gonna destroy society as we know it!’ And look at us now. We’re all just fine. Well, mostly fine. I mean, we’ve got Congress to deal with, but that’s a different story.
AI is just a tool, people
So, AI. It’s a tool. A really powerful tool, sure, but still just a tool. You know what else is a tool? A hammer. And we don’t see hammers taking over the world, do we? No, we don’t. We use hammers to build houses, not to, I don’t know, write sonnets or something.
I get it, though. AI’s kinda scary. It’s smart. Like, really smart. But it’s not smart enough to, I don’t know, figure out how to make a decent cup of coffee. And if it can’t do that, how’s it gonna take over the world? Exactly.
Last Tuesday, I was having coffee with a colleague named Dave. He’s all, ‘AI is gonna take our jobs!’ And I’m like, ‘Dave, AI can’t even tie its own shoes. Literally. It’s not a thing. It can’t do that.’ And he’s like, ‘But it’s learning!’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, Dave, so’s your kid, and you’re not worried about him taking your job, are you?’
Let’s talk about the real issue
Okay, so AI’s not gonna take over the world. But it is gonna change some things. And that’s where we should be focusing our energy. Like, for example, how are we gonna keep our data safe? Because AI’s pretty good at figuring out passwords. I mean, it’s not perfect, but it’s getting better. And that’s a problem.
I was talking to this cybersecurity expert, let’s call her Lisa, about three months ago. She’s like, ‘AI is gonna make our jobs a lot harder.’ And I’m like, ‘How so?’ And she’s like, ‘Well, it’s gonna be able to hack into systems a lot faster than humans can.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh. Yeah, that’s a problem.’
But here’s the thing: we’re gonna figure it out. We always do. It’s just gonna take some time, some effort, and probably a few Las Vegas nightlife entertainment guide-worthy parties to brainstorm solutions. (Seriously, if you’re in Vegas, check out the Las Vegas nightlife entertainment guide. It’s a lifesaver.)
A quick tangent about robots
So, I was at this tech meetup last month, right? And this guy, let’s call him Greg, he’s all, ‘Robots are gonna take over the world!’ And I’m like, ‘Greg, robots can’t even walk up the stairs without falling on their faces. Literally. It’s a thing. Look it up.’
But Greg, he’s not convinced. He’s like, ‘But they’re getting better!’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, Greg, so’s my golf swing. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna win the Masters anytime soon.’
Back to AI
So, AI. It’s not gonna take over the world. It’s not gonna take your job. It’s not gonna write the next great American novel. But it is gonna change some things. And that’s okay. We’ll figure it out. We always do.
Just remember: AI is a tool. And like any tool, it’s only as good as the person using it. So, let’s use it wisely, yeah?
And for the love of all that is holy, please, please, please don’t let it near the coffee machine.
About the Author
Sarah ‘Sassy’ Thompson has been in the tech industry for what feels like a millennium. She’s seen trends come and go, and she’s not impressed. When she’s not writing, she’s probably complaining about the lack of good coffee in tech offices. Or she’s at a concert. She’s a huge music buff. Like, huge.
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