Will Creative Jobs Eventually Be Replaced by A.I.?
I ve been reading up a lot on emerging technology, and while most of it is fascinating and exciting, some of it scares the ever-loving shit out of me.
Why?
Well, as you’ve probably guessed from the title of this article, a lot of this new technology—artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning (M.L.)—will put many jobs at risk.
But, as a creative, the real question I have is, will A.I. and M.L. replace me?
A.I. Meets M.L.
We all remember watching films all about the future where robots and humans coexist. As a kid, we assumed these ideas were either completely fiction, or it was so far in the future that we’d be dead and buried by the time they came fruition.
Well… I’m not even 40 and this sh*t is happening, guys. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are here.
Taken from the Columbia Engineering website:
Artificial intelligence refers to the general ability of computers to emulate human thought and perform tasks in real-world environments.
Machine learning refers to the technologies and algorithms that enable systems to identify patterns, make decisions, and improve themselves through experience.
There are four types of A.I.:
- Reactive
- Limited Memory
- Theory of Mind
- Self-Aware
Reactive is the most basic type of A.I. and is limited in what it can do. The things it can do are predicted by the information given by people, and it can’t change an outcome or conceive the past or future.
IBM invented a Reactive A.I. that beat chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov in 1997.
Limited Memory uses programmed information and past historical data to perform more complex tasks. But with its limited memory and capabilities, it can’t store additional information that would make the A.I. capable of more advanced tasks.
Limited memory is the most common type of A.I. being used today. We see it with things like autonomous vehicles.
Theory of Mind gives A.I. emotional intelligence and the capabilities of having human conversations, gauging emotions, and making decisions. This level of A.I. is on the horizon.
In Hong Kong, scientists invented the A.I. Sophia, which recognizes facial expressions and mimics them with her own facial features.
Self-Aware is the A.I. star in several Hollywood films. The story basically goes like this: Robot is invented by a brilliant scientist. Robot starts to show signs of human emotions, then becomes self-aware. Robot starts to feel used and mistreated and tries to kill everyone.
This A.I. is purely theoretical at this stage, but we’ve all seen how I, Robot goes, so maybe we need to keep a lid on that one.
Experts Weigh In
A.I. expert and venture capitalist Kai-Fu Lee, interviewed by Fortune states that automation could replace 40% of jobs in 15 Years.
We already see A.I. being used in self-serve checkouts, receptionists with voice automation, and chatbots on websites.
Robot surgeons are a thing, manufacturing will eventually rely predominantly on automation, and autonomous vehicles will almost certainly replace Ubers and Taxis in the future.
“A.I. will increasingly replace repetitive jobs. Not just for blue-collar work but a lot of white-collar work.” — Kai-Fu Lee explains.
A.I. has come a long way in just a few years. Scientists were initially required to provide A.I. with specific instructions to learn and present information.
But today, A.I. is programmed to learn independently, known as “deep learning.” Deep learning allows A.I. to scour the digital landscape, where it picks up information from everywhere. The more data it can access, the more it learns.
Take facial recognition as an example. At first, A.I. could recognize a person’s face if a human prompted it to measure the distances between the facial features. But now, A.I. can recognize a face without prompts because it’s been programmed for deep learning and has access to billions of faces online.
A.I. Artists
A.I. mimics data it’s learned, which is why they’re saying the automation of menial and repetitive tasks will, for sure, be replaced with machines at some point.
But what about artists, graphic designers, writers, videographers, photographers, software and web designers, jewelry makers, musicians, and other careers that fall under the title of a “creator?”
There’s rarely a completely original idea anymore. We all pull inspiration from existing work we see or hear about, whether conscious or not. We steal like an artist, and we recreate ideas and concepts to make them our own.
As I mentioned, this is something A.I. is also programmed to do in deep learning. It can pull ideas and concepts from existing work and create something “new.”
We now have A.I. writing complete articles, mimicking Rembrandt-style paintings, and composing orchestrated music. So, where does that leave us?
Here’s Why Creators Shouldn’t Be Worried
After reading a ton of articles, there’s a general consensus: robots are not humans.
Humans use our inherent creativity, life experiences, imagination, influences, and emotions to create something. These are all things that a machine or robot simply doesn’t — and potentially will never possess.
“This system can read faces and grade papers but it has no idea why these children are in this room or what the goal of education is… I believe in the sanctity of our soul… I believe there’s a lot of love and compassion that is not explainable in terms of neural networks and computation algorithms.” — Kai-Fu Lee.
Clients that want something created for them are looking for something unique and bespoke, whether it be a painting, a piece of jewelry, or photos on their wedding day.
We buy Banksy because it’s Banksy. Sure, an A.I. could probably recreate The Girl with the Balloon, but it would never be an original. It would never be a real Banksy.
This is why it’s essential, as a creator, to find your own unique voice. Find inspiration, borrow concepts, steal like an artist, by all means. But make sure you have your own unique take on things. Give people a reason to want your work over a machine’s.
Nobody can ever be youer than you — not even A.I.
