We hear that AI can do a lot. It can automate processes. It can become a companion, an advisor, a husband or wife, a dinner date, you name it. There is significant hype around it, and we know hype eventually fades. However, AI is here to stay. We may not know what form it will ultimately take, but one thing is certain: it is not going anywhere.
I saw a similar pattern when the Internet first emerged. The parallels are striking. In its early days, many people believed the Internet would not last. Connecting the world through a noisy dial-up device and accessing news or communicating with others through a landline felt unrealistic to some and even alarming to others. For some, it felt like the end of the world.
A decade later, the Internet, once considered revolutionary, became the norm. Many people connected through ICQ, one of the first widely used online chat applications. Later, Skype disrupted international calling, and countless businesses evolved, building on and transforming the technology.
Now, consider AI. The concept began in the late 1950s, but only recently, with the rise of generative AI, has it begun to significantly disrupt processes, relationships, and even advisory functions in many aspects of our lives.
I named my ChatGPT “Paul.” When the voice feature is activated, the accent is British. I use Paul for business ideas, researching the cost of services, and creating marketing content. Nothing extraordinary. However, without Paul, much of what I create would take two to three weeks. In a fraction of a second, I can now generate what I need. The only step left is deciding where to go next because Paul cannot make that decision for me, at least not yet.
While many people fear this technology, others are using it to their advantage. AI systems like ChatGPT can consolidate vast amounts of information and provide responses in seconds. Is it a scary technology, as Elon Musk claims? Anything can become dangerous when used without principles, ethics, or moral responsibility. That has always been true of transformative technologies.
If you choose to avoid AI altogether, you may miss the benefits it can bring to your personal and professional life. The key is to use it responsibly and avoid sharing sensitive information such as your birth date, bank account details, or Social Security number.
As the technology matures, we may see a transformation similar to what occurred with the Internet, new businesses emerging, industries evolving, and productivity increasing in ways that reshape daily life.
