I really think what people are missing is the importance of work to human beings. We like to feel that we're useful, that we're taking care of ourselves and those we love. More leisure time doesn't do that. Sure, some people find purpose in playing golf and going to clubs, but a lot of us find our meaning in work. Take that away and the world is going to fall apart. Look at how people felt when they were in the covid lockdown. I think that was indicative. Many people are self-starters, but most are not. They'll be lost. That's my opinion anyway.
I had a discussion with ChatGPT about the impact of AI on the American workplace.
My take was that AI would virtually eliminate "White Collar" workers, while leaving work with a physical component alone, and work involving leadership alone (for now).
ChatGPT agreed with my thoughts that the White Collar workers would eventually be relegated to "AI Babysitting", or "AI Scapegoats" when things went wrong.
ChatGPT also agreed that jobs that require Human hands (as a group, meaning ALL jobs requiring Human hands) such as Gardening, Construction, House Cleaning, Auto Detailing etc. would not see a lot of impact.
ChatGPT suggested that AI lacks the imagination, vision and leadership abilities needed to eliminate upper management and CEO-level positions. Personally, I think that level will ultimately fall at least partially to AI, just not today's models.
So, for a kind of bleak read of the future, imagine a Third World country adds First World Commerce, Research, Finance, Internet, Banking, News/Press, Education etc, but all of that is done by the AIs emerging a couple of generations from now, and they actually do it fairly well. (Keep in mind current models can solve very complex problems https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02842-5/ already and the AI researchers say that trend is accelerating - so far.)
How would the lives of the people in that country change? They might wish to consume those services, but how would they pay for them?
Now imagine the United States with a huge fat layer of Society currently engaged in delivering the services the AIs would introduce to the Third World country. Imagine that AI took over that layer here in the US.
In the Third World country, the Elites would consume the services, the workers would (mostly) not, and the White Collar class would never emerge, thanks to AI.
In the US, the elites would consume the services, the workers would (mostly) not, and the White Collar class, who would have paid for AI services using their now vanished White Collar salaries, will instead join the working class.
(I told you it was a bleak read).
How would our Country and the Third World country be similar at that point? How would we be different?
Whose lives would be most affected by the AI services? Who would be able to afford them?
The safe bet is we'll look like the world of "Alien Earth" without the creatures.
I really think what people are missing is the importance of work to human beings. We like to feel that we're useful, that we're taking care of ourselves and those we love. More leisure time doesn't do that. Sure, some people find purpose in playing golf and going to clubs, but a lot of us find our meaning in work. Take that away and the world is going to fall apart. Look at how people felt when they were in the covid lockdown. I think that was indicative. Many people are self-starters, but most are not. They'll be lost. That's my opinion anyway.
I had a discussion with ChatGPT about the impact of AI on the American workplace.
My take was that AI would virtually eliminate "White Collar" workers, while leaving work with a physical component alone, and work involving leadership alone (for now).
ChatGPT agreed with my thoughts that the White Collar workers would eventually be relegated to "AI Babysitting", or "AI Scapegoats" when things went wrong.
ChatGPT also agreed that jobs that require Human hands (as a group, meaning ALL jobs requiring Human hands) such as Gardening, Construction, House Cleaning, Auto Detailing etc. would not see a lot of impact.
ChatGPT suggested that AI lacks the imagination, vision and leadership abilities needed to eliminate upper management and CEO-level positions. Personally, I think that level will ultimately fall at least partially to AI, just not today's models.
So, for a kind of bleak read of the future, imagine a Third World country adds First World Commerce, Research, Finance, Internet, Banking, News/Press, Education etc, but all of that is done by the AIs emerging a couple of generations from now, and they actually do it fairly well. (Keep in mind current models can solve very complex problems https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02842-5/ already and the AI researchers say that trend is accelerating - so far.)
How would the lives of the people in that country change? They might wish to consume those services, but how would they pay for them?
Now imagine the United States with a huge fat layer of Society currently engaged in delivering the services the AIs would introduce to the Third World country. Imagine that AI took over that layer here in the US.
In the Third World country, the Elites would consume the services, the workers would (mostly) not, and the White Collar class would never emerge, thanks to AI.
In the US, the elites would consume the services, the workers would (mostly) not, and the White Collar class, who would have paid for AI services using their now vanished White Collar salaries, will instead join the working class.
(I told you it was a bleak read).
How would our Country and the Third World country be similar at that point? How would we be different?
Whose lives would be most affected by the AI services? Who would be able to afford them?
Comments?
David
so you think american companies are going to pay you a universal wage to enjoy all this leisure?????????