Stories

AI

AI

Shashank Purandare

Hi, I am Akshay. Not my real name, of course, but it will do for what I am going to relate to you now.

I am 25. I graduated from IIT Mumbai couple of years back with B.Tech. in, you guessed it, Computer Science. Got a job in a multinational software company on campus with a hefty salary since I graduated near the top of my batch. Currently I am staying in a rented two BHK flat in Powai, and travel to BKC for my job in my EV when not working from home. I live a very active social life every weekend with lots of friends of both sexes with parties, weekend trips and whatnot. In short, a typical 25 year old, who does not have to worry about anything in the world. My parents, like everyone else these days, stay in Pune. They are happily retired. I travel to Pune once in a while to spend some time with them.

As you are all aware, there is a lot of buzz around about this latest sensation, the artificial intelligence. Like any other software person. I was naturally interested in this. Though I have not worked in this field, I know a fair bit about what it is, what it can do and what it cannot. About six months back, I decided to hire an AI assistant for myself. Being a software professional, I could get one at a very cheap rate. It is not a robot or anything like that. It is an internet- based tool, residing god knows in which part of the world. All one needs is a good internet connection and an ear bud, one similar to airpod which is used to connect to a mobile. This you need to wear 24/7, but it is so small and light weight that you hardly ever feel its presence, except when it talks to you. A built-in microphone allows you give verbal instructions. You need to pay a small monthly fee to use it. One can use a laptop to program the AI assistant. You need to feed in your basic personal data and setup permissions about what the AI assistant can do and cannot do. It has access to your social media accounts and so on.

Once set up, I named it Pradeep, hoping it would be a guiding light in my life. Pradeep wakes me up at a pre-set time every day, tells me about all that has happened in the world in the last 24 hours while I go through early morning routine. He, – I have already started thinking about Pradeep as a friend -, keeps my coffee ready, as the machine is connected to the net, orders my breakfast, pre-programmed the previous night, from one of the delivery apps, sets my bath, runs the robot cleaner to clean the house while I am warming up in my tub and so on and so forth. You get the picture, right?

My EV engine is running with the AC turned on by the time I reach my basement garage. My AI assistant guides me through traffic. On my way Pradeep briefs me with my schedule for the day. He also reminds me that Leena, my colleague, continues to be on leave, and that my boss will be in office today.

Pradeep continues to assist me during my office work, pointing my simple mistakes, correcting documents. He also assists me in data processing and decision making. I sometimes worry that AI will do everything that I do now. Will it take away my job?

Two months ago, my boss was on the verge of accepting a large order from one of the start-up in USA. It required employing new people in the office. On advise from Pradeep, I opposed the idea in the meeting resulting in rejecting the order. In a month’s time the start-up went bust as US feds increased the interest rates. AI correctly foresaw the impending crisis in US economy.

During lunch break, Pradeep briefs me about my stocks position. I have already programmed my assistant to take positions in the market as it feels appropriate.

While eating, I get a call from one of my friends, who was also my IIT batchmate. He, like me, also works in software. But I am shocked when he says that he has lost his job and is unable to find another one. He grumbles that all this is happening due to AI. I get a sense that Pradeep is laughing in my ear.

Pradeep reminds me to call my father and mother. I also talk with Sonali, my current heart-throb. Pradeep has already booked a villa at Lonavala for our weekend.

Lunch-break over, back to work. Anyway, that is how the day goes, with the help from Pradeep.

So far so good. All honkey dory, you would say, right? But now comes the twist in the tale!

Before Sonali, there was Lata. No real names, of course! I was cosying up to her. But my AI assistant had other ideas. He of course, knows everything. That is the first problem with AI. It knows everything. You cannot keep anything secret.

This guy, if it is a guy, whispers in my ears: Lata is no good. Get rid of her. She is after your money. This wisdom comes to ‘it’ after analysing all the available data dispassionately. AI does not know such thing as love. In fact, it is devoid of any emotion, love, hate, grief, anger: you name it. In fact, Yuval Noah Harari, the famous theoretician, says AI will never develop a consciousness, akin to humans.

We humans, on the other hand, thrive on emotions. Without emotions, our life will be like a robot.

I did get tired of Lata in the end, albeit for different reasons. Sonali is perfect for me. But you know what? Let me tell you.

We go for the weekend trip as planned. Hand in hand, we go for a walk. Have a great dinner and a few drinks. Back in the villa, we are starting to get intimate, and Pradeep whispers in my ear,
“Don’t forget the condom!”

Damn!!! I have forgotten to turn off my AI assistant. Mind you, it is not his fault. It just doing it’s job. But what??!! Next it will tell me what should I talk with my girlfriend or how to have best sex!

You see, it becomes too personal. There is a limit beyond which your personal boundaries are closed to everyone. But AI does not understand it.

There, that is the story of AI. I am completely confused. Is it good or is it bad? AI is very useful. It helps in all my work, removes errors from my work and makes my life easy. But, on the other hand it is too invasive. It does not understand emotions and does not know what privacy means.

You tell me, what should I do?

P.S. I ran this story by my AI assistant. He edited all the pseudo names I used and replaced with real names. And he also removed all the part in which I exposed flaws of AI as perceived by me as a human being. So, I have presented the story as written by me, unedited.

P.S. Please find below a study attached below, done by Meta Ai. On the prediction of job losses due to advent of AI. Well, what do we know?????

Estimating the exact number of jobs that will be lost due to AI is challenging, as it depends on various factors, such as the industry, job type, and level of automation. However, here are some insights based on recent studies:

Studies and Predictions

1. McKinsey Report (2017): Up to 800 million jobs could be lost worldwide due to automation by 2030.
2. PwC Report (2018): Around 30% of jobs in the UK, 38% in the US, 35% in Germany, and 21% in Japan could be at high risk of automation by the 2030s.
3. World Economic Forum (2020): By 2022, 75 million jobs may be displaced, while 133 million new roles may emerge.

Industries and Jobs Most Affected

1. Manufacturing: Assembly line workers, quality control inspectors
2. Transportation: Truck drivers, taxi drivers
3. Customer Service: Call center agents, telemarketers
4. Bookkeeping and Accounting: Data entry clerks, accountants
5. Food Service: Fast food workers, restaurant servers

Mitigating the Impact

While AI may displace some jobs, it will also create new ones, such as:

1. AI and Machine Learning Engineers
2. Data Scientists and Analysts
3. Robotics Technicians
4. Cybersecurity Experts
5. Digital Transformation Consultants

To minimize the negative impact, governments, educational institutions, and organizations should invest in:

1. Upskilling and Reskilling Programs
2. Education and Training in Emerging Technologies
3. Social Safety Nets and Support Systems
4. Encouraging Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The future of work will require adaptability, continuous learning, and a willingness to evolve with technological advancements.

Shashank Purandare 16/01/2025