The Rise of AI: A Sneak Peek into the Future of Work
Written on
The Impending Robot Revolution
It might sound like a joke, but dismissing the threat of AI to jobs may be a mistake.
When self-service checkout systems started appearing in stores, I gave them a try but quickly decided against using them if I had more than a couple of items. I’m the type of customer who will stand behind a line of shoppers with fully loaded carts, waiting patiently for a human cashier to check out my groceries.
"Please place your item in the bagging area"? No, thank you. I am aware enough to avoid ruining my day by opting to interact with a machine.
That said, I do appreciate the "Scan-It" feature at Stop & Shop, which allows me to bag my groceries while I shop and see the total as I go. This makes the experience less stressful, especially when I can avoid the pressure of rushing to bag my items while others look impatiently on. However, my small joy is often interrupted by one of their friendly robots, Marty.
These robots, employed by Stop & Shop, are supposed to detect spills and safety hazards, alerting human staff to ensure the area remains clean and safe. Yet, I can't shake the feeling they might be monitoring us to catch potential shoplifters. Perhaps it’s just my belief that we’re sliding into a surveillance state.
It's worth noting that each Marty robot costs a staggering $35,000 to "employ" in a store. Meanwhile, the federal minimum wage hovers at $7.25. This means that Stop & Shop could afford to employ two humans at minimum wage for a year and still have money left over. In fact, this robot's operating cost surpasses the annual income of a worker in Washington D.C., where the minimum wage is the highest in the country at $17.00.
This situation raises serious concerns, doesn’t it?
A Brief Digression
Interestingly, I began writing this after my boyfriend asked if I had heard about a robot that, disillusioned by its role, chose to end its own existence. I had not, and upon researching, I found limited credible information. Perhaps the tale of the suicidal robot was merely a fabrication, yet it prompts the question: Is this even real?
This is where it all begins, in my humble and unsolicited opinion. Initially, it was self-service checkout systems that took low-wage, "unskilled" jobs from those barely managing to survive. In 2023, the number of cashiers in the U.S. dropped to approximately 1.2 million from about 1.4 million in 2019.
While that might not seem alarming at first glance, consider the broader impact of self-checkout systems:
"…Customers complaining about awkward technology that produces mysterious error messages, employees having to oversee both machines and customers, and retailers struggling with theft…"
Cindy Whittington from Fairfax, Virginia, expressed frustration over the evolving shopping experience: "Grocery shopping used to be simple, and now it's a hassle. I feel like I should receive a discount."
Yes, Cindy, we absolutely should be rewarded instead of facing requests to tip or donate at every checkout. Stop & Shop rakes in $15.2 billion annually, yet their entry-level employees earn only $24,000 a year.
So, no. I will not contribute my spare change to help you pad your tax deductions, corporate greed notwithstanding.
As self-checkouts took over, companies began replacing contact numbers with chatbots on their websites. Then came the flashy apps that utilize AI to create surreal portraits. Instead of using ethically sourced art, we now have the means to misappropriate the work of others and pass it off as our own.
The trend continued with the theft of written words. Numerous books were scanned without permission—content taken without consent to train AI systems. What was the purpose of this training? To render traditional writing and learning obsolete, making it so that all you need to know is how to phrase a question for your AI.
Now, our voices face similar threats. AI can mimic your voice, potentially using it against you or your loved ones. Imagine receiving a call from your daughter, desperately asking for help because she lost her passport while traveling. But what if it’s not actually her? You might not realize you're being scammed until it's too late.
This is the reality we now inhabit—a world where the media frequently references "cheap fakes," emphasizing the confusion and misinformation rampant in today's digital landscape.
You might think I'm being overly dramatic or paranoid, but let me assure you: the robot uprising is not a distant threat; it is already here.
AI can analyze our literature, rewrite it, and create new content. It can replicate our voices and likenesses. AI is swiftly replacing human-built websites that took years of SEO strategy and content creation to establish.
The first video titled "The Robot Uprising? Nah, Just 15,000 AI Jobs in Singapore!" explores the implications of AI on job displacement and the workforce.
Following this, consider how AI is reshaping our understanding of authenticity and creativity in the second video, "How to Survive a Robot Uprising | Daniel H. Wilson | Talks at Google."
While it claims that AI is unlikely to completely replace human endeavors, it raises pressing questions about the future necessity of human web designers. The verdict from AI? At least for now, we remain relevant.