The Pros and Cons of AI in Today's World

By Isha Vishwanath, 2027

Published 10/21/2023

ChatGPT, Google AI, Gamma, Numerous.ai, and many more. These are all AI platforms that are commonly known throughout the world. AI, or artificial intelligence, is the simulation of human intelligence processed by machines, especially computer systems. AI makes everyone's lives easier by making many processes automatic, saving a lot of time. However, AI has also become a big problem recently, as it is causing a lot of people to lose their jobs. These computer programs have been getting more intelligent and could soon take over the world if we aren’t careful. 

This “new automation” of the future has the potential to eliminate millions of jobs all around the world. According to data collected by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), studies show that “AI will likely take away 85 million jobs globally by 2025.” Factory workers, cashiers, bank management, and travel agents have already started to be replaced. The detriments of AI have also extended into the classroom. Chatbots like ChatGPT have gotten very popular among students this year because they are very effective, time-saving, and can respond to a wide variety of topics. While this unfortunately makes it easier for students to cheat, the program could also generate incorrect answers, making it somewhat unreliable.

On the other hand, AI could also lead to new jobs in other fields. According to CEPR, AI could generate “97 million new jobs in fields ranging from big data and machine learning to information security and digital marketing.” AI can also make existing jobs easier instead of replacing them, as it makes it easier to multitask and decreases one’s workload. AI has the potential to benefit students, too. Although ChatGPT can tempt individuals to cheat or get quick answers, it can also improve accessibility to education for multilingual students or students who have a hard time learning.

So, although AI may cause people to lose their jobs in the future and can make students dependent to the point of cheating, it can also create new jobs, make existing jobs easier for humans, and provide assistance for students who need it most. The rapid pace at which AI is advancing makes it impossible to predict exactly what impact it will have on us; only time can tell.