AI: do we use robots or are we the robots?

Rui Ribeiro

Artificial Intelligence has come to shape the future, so it's important to know how to enhance, not replace, the human being's unique ability to think and act.

Over the last few weeks, whether I've been teaching or talking to some friends, mostly from the technology sector, the subject of Artificial Intelligence and the pressure it is (and will be) creating on humanity over the next few years has come up for discussion.

The transformation driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) is undeniable, but as we explore its capabilities, there arises, consciously or unconsciously, a duality in thinking about the fantastic brilliance of the potential benefits and the anguish of the inherent challenges, often frightening the unpredictability of the darker risks it could bring.

In addition to considerations about the ability to maintain thinking skills and critical analysis in the face of everyday challenges, but also in philosophical thinking and future strategy, it is essential to address the practical implications that AI will have (already has?) on some fundamental pillars in the socio-economic future: employment, efficiency and human autonomy.

Jobs disappearing or changing

The AI revolution brings with it the spectre of automation and the prospect of significant job losses. Recently, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shared that between 40% and 60% of jobs in developed countries and emerging markets would be affected by the automation brought about by AI, raising serious risks of mass unemployment, which is why it is important to prepare retraining to enable people and companies to turn risks into opportunities.

The World Economic Forum, in its 2023 "Job of the Future" report, also states that around 23% of jobs will be affected by structural changes, with around 2% of jobs being lost by 2027. Both studies reflect, above all, that economic inequality, which is on the rise, could worsen as machines take over functions traditionally performed by human beings.

Therefore, the ability to create action plans for investments in new training to retrain humans of average working age, as well as new education models, are essential, not to block the inevitability of AI, but to transform the challenge into an opportunity for productivity gains and creative dynamism in humans.

Agilidade e eficiência na automação

Um facto subjacente à evolução tecnológica atual é que a IA promove a agilidade e eficiência por meio da automação. As tarefas rotineiras passam a ser executadas com precisão e velocidade incomparáveis, permitindo que os seres humanos se concentrem em atividades mais complexas e criativas.

A produção de dados, por processos de transformação digital, traz aumento da produtividade e melhoria da qualidade do trabalho, tornando-se tangíveis pelo fenómeno de capacidade de produção de dados automática nas tarefas quase 100% digitalmente realizadas, reforçando assim a noção de que a IA pode ser uma aliada valiosa na evolução das capacidades laborais.

Risk of cognitive laziness

Human beings are intrinsically lazy, seeking stability, routines and predictability, so the speed with which AI shares and delivers answers is a beloved phenomenon. Instead of searching, they "give us the answer straight away!". But what seems like the Holy Grail for many can trigger a worrying "cognitive laziness". Over-reliance on instant solutions can undermine motivation for critical thinking and independent problem-solving.

By using robots in a direct way, we risk moving towards being robots ourselves, commanded by other robots! The challenge is to find a balance, encouraging collaboration between humans and AI, without compromising the human ability to think independently. And thinking is also about training and learning to think, and this is done by investing in education.

In short, the (in)ability to think with artificial intelligence is not just restricted to the cognitive spectrum, but also extends to the economic and ethical spheres. The search for a harmonious coexistence requires reflection on how we can maximize the benefits of AI while preserving the dignity and autonomy of human work. Finding this balance will not be easy, given the speed of technology and the inevitable ethical challenges and human greed.

As the Managing Director of the IMF says: "We have to embrace it, it's coming", so AI has come to shape the future, which is impossible to eliminate, so it's important to know how to enhance, not replace, the human being's unique ability to think and act.

Professor Rui Ribeiro
Executive Director LISS - Universidade Lusófona Information Systems School

Source: O Jornal Económico