Dear Anna,
I’m stressed about the future. I’m hearing a lot about Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) replacing people’s jobs. What does that mean for me?
Signed, Not ready for that yet
Dear Not ready for that yet,
Headlines sure can be pretty stress-inducing these days, perhaps more than ever. Focusing on the negative, the things that are missing, or the things that are lacking, are a surefire way to elevate one’s stress levels. (If you are aware of a news source that is more asset-based, as in focusing on what is working well, rather than deficit-based, as in what is missing, let me know.) As I’ve mentioned before, gratitude is a way that one can find calm (https://askannabanana.substack.com/p/when-to-move-on). Let’s take an asset-based approach to consider what is possible regarding your co-existing with A.I.:
1. Identify the things that you don’t really like to do anyway. Everyone is different in terms of what they like to do – and don’t like to do. For me, I’d be thrilled to have A.I. take care of the dishes, vacuuming, and magically put away paperwork in the exact way that I like to have it organized. What are the things that you are good or excellent at, and that you don’t enjoy doing? Those are the kinds of tasks that you could start to look into how A.I. might help you.
2. Identify what you like to do so much that time falls away. For me, managing a calendar is an art. For example, while some people can’t stand organizing meeting times for groups of people (which my colleagues and I fondly refer to as ‘herding cats’), I love it. Similarly, I love calendaring and making appointments, not just for me but for meetings with my colleagues. And of course, I love to write and edit, to coach leaders, to give keynotes, and to facilitate meetings. I would be loathe to have A.I. to do any of those things for me. What are the things that you love to do?
3. Don’t let Artificial Intelligence remove your own intelligence. That A.I. can move rapidly at scale also means that it can escalate problems on a grandiose level. A.I. is based on past information. Past information is incomplete, biased, and lacks the innovation of the future. We have loads of reasons why you can’t trust A.I. all on its own. As I’ve said before, if you are using A.I. for something that you know nothing about, be sure to bring in a buddy (https://askannabanana.substack.com/p/naming-when-you-use-artificial-intelligence). And as my middle school math teachers used to say many times over, show your work. In this case, check A.I.’s work and have it show you how it got there.
To be sure, A.I. is so pervasive at this point that it is starting to become the default for many computer-based activities. When I open a blank file to type on my computer, I have to proactively fight the program’s default setting in order to type without A.I. We have been at the point for a while where, regardless of if we use A.I. at work or not, some of us simply can’t get any work done when the power goes out.
So, what are those things that you are really good at, and that you love to do? Keep practicing and honing in on those skills (your gifts, as I describe here: https://askannabanana.substack.com/p/naming-when-you-use-artificial-intelligence), and let people know how enthusiastic you are about those things. My hope for you is that you share your expertise with the world, not just so others can benefit from your expertise and not just to enhance the awesomeness of your day, but also so that you can get some great work done even when the power goes out.
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Disclaimer: These tips are meant to be a helpful starting point of ideas. Proceed at your own risk. Each person and organization is different, and this information may or may not help you. Try what resonates with you, keeping in mind common sense and circumstances. Seek professional advice that is tailored to your specific situation.
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