There has been A LOT of talk about artificial intelligence or AI recently. From my perspective, it’s been too much.

We have all known about AI for a while, but the recent attention and adoption of ChatGPT has lifted AI to higher heights. And more people are paying attention. But are they paying attention for the right reasons?

I learned about ChapGPT from one of my co-hosts of Tip That Scale, the podcast I also executive produce. He has some experience in technology and is a technical recruiter and was excited about the attention ChapGPT was getting. I’ve seen videos of people offering advice on leveraging it to make more money for their side hustles. Again, I’m still not convinced.

I’m old school. A GenXer, who learned from Baby Boomers about work and putting in an effort: the many I worked with were great examples of how to leverage my skills and talents. They helped me to understand what it means to specialize in certain areas but be good in many more. I can credit them for helping me get to where I am today and being marketable in many business areas. I believe AI will limit that specialization and uniqueness. Based on how some people are talking about it, I also think AI will affect more than the job market. It will affect salaries as well.

1. If you can use AI or ChatGPT specific to this example to do work, like write copy, how many copywriters would a business, agency, or marketing department need? Also, how creative and unique is that copy? (Side note, I have a bit more to add about this one.)
2. If you use AI to do things faster, wouldn’t you expect a company to pay less? After all, you are putting in less effort and less expertise.
3. Who does AI truly benefit? Developers and engineers are leading the charge on AI. They have jobs. Where does that leave other professionals, many of whom are not in technology? Has any forgotten the early days of IVR and how you are directed online if you have a question about a site, program, or service today?

This AI phenomenon reminds me of the growth of social media. Some social media experts live the craft, understand the history, and apply strategic and critical thinking to create more than just posts but long-term campaigns. There are others, unfortunately, who believed they were experts because they were/are social media users and gained a larger following. Would you call that expertise or simply usage of the medium?

I feel fortunate to understand life before the tech boom and mass user adoption of tech. Don’t get me wrong. I like my Samsung tablet, Roku, Galaxy Buds, and Fitbit. I’m also grateful I can read a map (y’all know the Thomas Guide and Rand McNally Road Atlas), appreciate seeing something unique to me, like my handwriting in cursive, and can type 80 words a minute because I learned on an IBM Selectric (I can still hear the rhythm of the typewriters from typing class), and know what it means to have a conversation at home instead of the grocery store (don’t get me started on this one).

Of course, there is a place for technology and AI.

My main concern is not the place but the replacement.