AI is here, and in the words of all the thought leaders, it’s here to stay.
One thing that has become obvious is that the abundant availability of AI has made knowledge a commodity. Anyone can learn anything, at any time.
For those of us who have built our careers on knowledge work, that is unsettling, to say the least. As a marketing consultant, I’ve seen it creep into my lane.
We’ve gotten paid because we know how to do things. Now that information is readily available for someone motivated enough to obtain it, it puts our usefulness at risk.
Or does it?
The answer is “Yes, but…”
The people that weren’t going to hire us anyway are now finding a way to do the work we could have done for them. And even some who would have hired us are doing that. That’s ok.
The way forward
Many have made the observation that AI can’t replicate the stories and experiences that make us human. I’m glad for that.
The joke that emerges over a cup of coffee with a client that deepens the relationship.
The shared delight over a stats report showing a great month on social media; the feeling that “we did this!”.
Even the uncomfortable conversations that come from tech problems, work-in-progress results and unpredictable human emotions stimming from the complexities of life.
These are all things that are only meaningfully shared between humans.
That’s why, though I’m cautious about AI’s impact on our economy, I remain hopeful.
I am grateful for the ability to feel, to struggle, to tell stories, and to make human relationships count.
In the end, it’s those that are far more important than the efficiency we might gain from AI.
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