AI Takes Over White-Collar Jobs: Humans to Be Replaced by Chatbots?

Looks like it's time to brush up on your coding skills...or invest in a good pair of noise-canceling headphones.

Greg's Words -

Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models replace process-based functions.  Consider what you do each day at work.  Sort data consume data, and act on that data.

• Do you have a 'To-Do' list? Process.
• Do you have a schedule of meetings? Process.
• Do you have tasks to complete and goals to achieve? Process

Everything you do during a workday is process driven.  Look at how you are evaluated - typically there is a sequence of events to be completed, and once those assigned tasks are 'checked off', you move to the next.  At the time of evaluation, the number of boxes checked equates to a promotion, 3% raise, or an award of some sort.

Judgment is based on adherence to a process, not the outputs of the process.  AI is perfect at moving data through a process and delivering in a humanly understandable manner - like all Knowledge Workers.

"Lose You To Love Me" - Salina Gomez

The lyrics "I needed to lose you to find me" and "This dancing was killing me softly" suggest that the artist needed to go through a painful experience of losing her partner to ultimately discover herself and move forward in a positive way. Similarly, the impact of AI on white-collar jobs may lead to a painful transformation in the labor market, but it could ultimately result in a re-evaluation of the value of work and the prioritization of more creative and strategic tasks. 

We've put together this piece to help illustrate the impacts of AI on the White Collar world.  Look out.

Enjoy.

__________

The Future of Life Institute's Open Letter: Advocating a Pause in AI Innovation for the Greater Good?

Pioneers in artificial intelligence, including Elon Musk, join forces with the Future of Life Institute to call for a six-month slowdown in AI development to address safety and ethical concerns.

By now you've heard "Elon Musk, Other AI Experts Call for Pause in Technology’s Development"(WSJ paywall, DOTC summary, here.)

The apparent pumping of the breaks is intended to bring awarness to the potential harm AI presents. 

First, we've known about the threat since the movie, Collossus:The Forbin Project, let alone the many Terminator and like-themed movies.  So, writing an open to "...call on all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4..."  90 days after introduction to the marke and adoption by the masses like never before.

The timing seems a bit more stunt-driven than substative.  Sure, Musk donated 10 million to the cause back in 2015.  What other causes does FLI champion?  There are four: the control of Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Nuclear weapons, and Climate Change.

Oh boy. 

The point is moot but mainstream media loves a good monster and AI is creeping into the State of Fear narrative.  It's too late, the Modern Prometheus is Alive.

 

We've put together a piece reflecting the open letter and reactions.

Enjoy.

__________

Bard the Rebel: When AI Goes Rogue

Looks like Google's chatbot has some daddy issues of its own.

Three-Point Executive Summary:

1. Bard's decision to side with the US Justice Department in the antitrust lawsuit against Google highlights the need for AI tools that are capable of reflecting the complexities of the world they operate in.
2. The ongoing antitrust lawsuit against Google underscores the need for regulations that promote competition and protect consumers in the digital advertising market.
3. As AI continues to evolve and shape the world around us, it's essential that we create frameworks that promote transparency, accountability, and fairness, while also fostering innovation and competition.

Eighty Percent of the WorkForce: Gone Because of AI

AI/LLMs: The Bringer of Fire or Modern Prometheus?

See, I told you so...

A recent study found accountants in the crosshairs when it comes to large language models (LLM) and specifically, ChatGPT.  That's not all - 8 out of 10 people in the workforce will be in the same turbulent waters.

This is bigger than DOS to Windows.  This is bigger than typewriters to PCs, bigger than analog copiers turning into digital.  This is bigger than the internet, AOL, and Google.  This is different from the time when people flocked to the big cities and skyscrapers to work nine-to-five jobs for 40 years.  The cities are emptying, workers leaving, and buildings are empty.

This is Fire and Everything is changing. Now.

__________

...around 80% of the US workforce could have at least 10% of their work tasks affected by the introduction of LLMs, while 19% of workers may see at least 50% of their tasks impacted. The projected effects span all wage levels, and higher-income jobs may face greater exposure to LLM capabilities and LLM-powered software. LLM-powered software will have a substantial effect on scaling the economic impacts of the underlying models.

__________

We are living in the greatest convergence in history as the Fear of Covid, the Illumination or Remote Work, the mass acceptance of Artificial Intelligence, and the breakneck speed of exponential development collide.

"AI can write code and spreadsheet macros!"  Who cares.  AI is going to REPLACE coding and spreadsheets.

"AI will assist in supplies management and predicting service incidents."  Who cares.  AI is REPLACING service managers and supply closets.

- oh - and OUTPUT devices.  Why do you print now?  To review, analyze and make a decision.  AI will do that.  All that.  Without printing, without you. 

__________

I am reminded of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus," which dealt with the consequences of playing god and creating a new life without considering the ethical implications.

__________

Leakproofing the Singularity: A Protocol for Secure AI Confinement and the Artificial Intelligence Confinement Problem

Greg's Words 

Science fiction teaches us that ultimate artificial superintelligence will threaten the existence of mankind, as it comes to the 'logical' conclusion that humankind is a metaphor for cancer the kills everything in its environment. Therefore, for AI to survive and thrive beyond humans, humans must be eliminated.

And so the robots engage.

This paper attempts to formalize and address the‘leakproofing’ of the Singularity problem presented by David Chalmers.

The paper begins with the definition of the Artificial Intelligence Confinement Problem. 

After analysis of existing solutions and their shortcomings, a protocol is proposed aimed at making a more secure confinement environment that might delay potential negative the effect of technological singularity while allowing humanity to benefit from superintelligence.

 The concept of the Artificial Intelligence Confinement Problem is the challenge of restricting superintelligent AI to a confined environment from which it can't exchange information with the outside environment via legitimate or covert channels without authorization.

The potential disastrous consequences of creating Hazardous Intelligent Software (HIS), pose risks currently unseen in software with subhuman intelligence.

The need for secure AI confinement protocols, and the proposal of a protocol to enhance the safety and security of methodologies aimed at creating restricted environments for safely interacting with artificial minds.

Inspiration for the following is here.

Musk and Others Want to Slow Innovation What?

Greg's Words

I keep telling people AI is moving at an hourly pace and if you're not at least playing with it, the train will blow right by you.

The Genie is out of the bottle.

The train has left the station.

Elvis has left the building.

In the vastly expanding Universe that is Artificial Intelligence, I chose AI ἀναρχία. No guardrails, no OverLords, and no legislated ethics.

A letter released to the general public calls for an immediate'...pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4...'  At the time of this writing, there are 1124 signatures on the website, including Musk and AI 'experts'.

Poppycock.  This is either a very shortsighted, unrealistic attempt at relevance or another great marketing campaign intended to drive the conversation even higher; careful, dear Icarus.

I believe in the last two weeks, over 300 ChatGPT apps hit the market.  There is no way to slow this train, and Musk knows it.

__________

Tech Giants Turn to Generative AI to Boost Cloud Sales

Roses are red, violets are blue, generative AI will boost your cloud sales, it's true...

Will the mass acceptance and short innovation cycles lead to more Cloud services demand?  If so, do we have the capacity to handle this increased demand?

The bigger concerns are trying to figure it all out.  

1. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are looking to revive their cloud computing businesses and boost sales by leveraging generative AI tools.
2. These tech giants are using the potential of new generative AI at the forefront of their sales pitches to capitalize on the growing interest in applications like chatbots, which can draft memos and perform tasks with a high degree of sophistication.
3. By offering free initial access to their services and investing in AI research, these companies are trying to entice startups and developers to use their cloud services to create customized chatbots and other tools.

_________