#9: In the Age of AI

Between Us & AI, AI Is Going To Win

Earlier this week, I ordered a new pair of headphones from Best Buy, since I lost my previous pair. The day that it was scheduled for delivery, I waited with excitement until I received an automated text message that my order was being returned due to an “unknown error” in delivery. Besides being disappointed that I wouldn’t be receiving my product, it became quickly apparent that my refund wasn’t coming through. So, I contacted Best Buy. 

Or, Best Buy’s AI tools. 

When I googled “best buy customer service”, a link to a chat window appeared, and having used that type of service before, I started typing out my issue. Besides being awkward and strange, this service was completely unhelpful and the chatbot clearly had no idea what I was talking about and told me to “try again later” which left me frustrated. So, I called the closest store near High Point, which happened to be in Greensboro. 

A robot picked up the call. 

Again, this robot was completely unhelpful, didn’t understand my issue, and didn’t give me the option to talk to a living breathing employee. 

Just “try again later”. 

What happened to talking on the phone? 

Seriously, why do we spend more time either communicating to or through robotic technology than to

each other? AI is developing at an extremely rapid pace and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. And sure, AI can be extremely beneficial in the workplace, driving up productivity and profits for the company. It reduces human error which saves the employee’s time and it reduces mundane tasks, like inputting and converting data points. However, we are quickly coming to a turning point in technology. AI will go from assisting us to taking over. 

Is there anything humans can do that a computer can’t? AI used to just dominate STEM fields, doing the

busy work, but now that it can write and create artwork, is there a point to humans spending hours into a craft to watch a robot do it in minutes and do it better. What happens when we reach that point in society, where humans doing jobs is pretty much meaningless when a robot does it for free and does it perfectly?

Right now, AI is completely taking over cashier’s jobs. Major stores like Wal-Mart, Amazon, CVS, and Target, are starting to

have more self-checkout than cashiers, which is good for the billion dollar corporations to not have to hand-out another paycheck from their profits, but it will destroy the individual lives and families who rely on those paychecks to survive. 

It's absolutely terrifying to think of AI’s potential and the ramifications on individual America; the billionaires will be fine, if not more successful and filthy rich. What happens to man when he has no skills to offer, no skills that a robot can’t do for free. 

We have to start talking on the phone more.