Fear of the unknown
For some people, generative AI tools feel as though they came fast and furious. OpenAI’s ChatGPT appeared seemingly overnightand the “Artificial intelligence arms race” It intensifies more every day, creating constant uncertainty for workers.
Caroline Montrose, a career coach and lecturer at Columbia University in New York, acknowledges that the pace of technological innovation and change can be intimidating. “It’s natural to be concerned about the impact of AI because its development is so smooth, and there are so many unknown application factors,” she says.
But as unsettling as the new technology is, it also says workers aren’t necessarily Owns To feel existential dread. People have the power to make their own decisions about how anxious they are: they can either “choose to feel anxious about AI, or enable them to identify it and use it to their advantage”.
Scott Likens of PricewaterhouseCoopers, who specializes in understanding issues around trust and technology, echoes this. “Technological advances have shown us that, yes, technology has the potential to automate or streamline work processes. However, with the right set of skills, individuals are often able to advance along with these developments.” In order to feel less anxious about adoption Rapid artificial intelligence, employees must rely on technology. Education and training [are] Key for employees to learn about AI and what it can do for their particular role as well as help them develop new skills. Instead of turning away from AI, employees should plan to embrace and educate them.”
It can also be helpful to remember that, according to Likens, “This isn’t the first time we’ve had industry disruptions — from automation and manufacturing to e-commerce and retail — we’ve found ways to adapt.” Indeed, the introduction of new technology has often been unnerving for some people, but Montrose makes it clear that a lot of good has come from previous new developments: She says that technological change has always been a major component of society’s progress.
No matter how people respond to AI technology, Montrose adds, it’s here to stay. And it can be very helpful to stay positive and forward-looking. “If people get anxious instead of working to improve their skills, it will do them more harm than AI itself,” she says.