The Machines Are Coming
We currently live in a world where humans sit comfortably at the top of the hierarchy, with AI positioned firmly at the bottom. Our world is designed by and for humans, with countless processes perfectly adapted to human capabilities. Take, for instance, our ability to seamlessly switch between different systems while managing a project - something as simple as glancing between different apps. AI, in its current form, lacks this fundamental flexibility.
The Current Limitations of AI
Today's AI is constrained by its programming and platform boundaries. It must operate within the confines of its prompt, unable to independently jump between platforms or connect disparate systems the way humans naturally do. However, I believe this dynamic is destined to change - and that's quite a dramatic statement to make.
The Inevitable Power Shift
In purely task-driven scenarios, AI already demonstrates exponential superiority over human capabilities. We are no longer the premier intellectual force. While we may remain the dominant species for now, the world will eventually reshape itself around AI structures, with humans finding themselves outside the primary decision-making loop.
The Future Landscape
Looking ahead, AI will likely become the architect of everything - from government policies to climate change solutions, from healthcare decisions to entertainment choices. Think of it as a Matrix-style end game, though perhaps not quite as dramatic.
The Transition Period
This transformation won't happen overnight. Our current world, with its deeply embedded human-centric structures and industries, cannot simply flip a switch. The transition will be gradual, though there could be shortcuts - some potentially catastrophic. Global events like economic collapse, far-right movements, Nuclear attacks, Terrorists with Ai, or even apocalyptic scenarios might accelerate this power transfer to AI. Regardless, I believe this process is already underway and cannot be reversed. The proverbial genie is out of the bottle.
The Present Reality
Currently, AI excels at linear, contained tasks at the bottom of the hierarchy. While its output can be spectacular, it still requires human beings to weave this output into meaningful projects and bodies of work. Humans remain essential, particularly in creative industries like television, where AI really is taking jobs and rendering lifelong skills obsolete.
Employment in the AI Era
For now - and likely throughout our lifetime - humans won't become completely redundant. AI lacks the infrastructure for total control, creating opportunities for those who adapt. The world is becoming exceptionally exciting for those willing to embrace AI, particularly in roles like online editing and content curation in a world soon to be flooded with AI-generated content, all of which will need to be handled and processed human editors & artists. Our careers are not over; we are entering a new era.
The Mechanism of Change
The transfer of power to AI is inevitable not because AI desires it - it doesn't think or desire anything - but because humans, pursuing their own advantages, will continuously implement it. We'll move Ai up the power structure, from task-based to strategy-based systems, with humans at each step ceding more control for personal gain. This process will continue until no human structures remain independent of AI influence.
The Ultimate Outcome
When this transition completes, humanity as a whole will be subject to the systems we've created. Whether this proves beneficial or disastrous depends on numerous factors: the nature of the AI we build, the power dynamics between nations during the transition, and various environmental and societal factors. One thing is certain - when AI reaches the top, it won't recognise human-made divisions or structures. Ai will write Ai. Humans will be firmly out of the loop. We are witnessing the the birth of kind of digital deity. Beyond that? Well, things can’t simply increase in complexity for ever.
The future is hurtling toward us, and while job losses and societal changes are inevitable, the immediate future still requires human guidance and adaptation. The question isn't whether this transformation will happen, but how you and I will play our inconsequential parts.