One reality, two options. You choose.
Since our creation, everything in life has been in constant evolution. Human beings, society, law, and technology, are examples in which their own evolution has been key to achieve all the advantages we have nowadays. Sometimes, changes come when we are still not ready for them, but we have two options: face reality, adapt or let reality eat us up. I prefer the first option.
The advances in technology are a reality we can’t escape from. Artificial Intelligence is advancing so fast that, as a programmer, I strongly believe I have the duty to make you realize the impact this is going to have over our society; what happens afterward is going to depend completely on you. It’s a reality that AI's function is to make life easier. Tesla cars, Siri, Alexa, iRobot Roomba, online shopping, online food market, and delivery are just a few examples of the advances in technology and how Artificial Intelligence is being used. If we take a deep look into this, this is indeed all made for our comfort, but it’s also true that we will become useless beings if we let it. When this kind of comfort is served to us on a silver platter, by instinct, we take it because it’s a fact that we play under the law of minimum effort. But if we keep playing under this law, it will be like digging our own grave. We will become useless people who depend on a robot to do everything: to buy our food, to drive our cars, to clean our houses, and the list goes on and on. We will not have a reason to get out of our bed because we will have something that does all of our duties for us. And if we look at the big picture, we are even going to lose our jobs. According to CNBC, “one-third of the United States, and 800 million globally, the workforce could be out of a job by 2030 thanks to automation.”
All of this means that if we let it, we are going to have a kind of a setback in our society because instead of evolving and improving ourselves each day, the ones evolving are going to be the robots and the technologists who create them, and this will bring a standstill.
As I stated before, this technology evolution is a reality we can’t escape from, and for us not to suffer the damages it may bring, we should face this. We need to start developing the hidden skills everyone has but may not know. We need to start developing our creativity which is the only tool Artificial Intelligence doesn’t have and would never have. Let our brain dig deep until reaching its most innovative ideas, letting its creativity going wild. We need to surpass ourselves, to take advantage of our free time, and instead of getting lazy, start studying, learning new things, and developing the skills we already have. These little things are the ones that are going to make the difference.
It’s our time to be conscious and become aware of everything we can lose if we don’t wake up. Wake up from that comfort zone dream and ask yourself if you want to be eaten by technology or pick up the reins on this matter? Be your own hero, and no one else is going to save you from what the future will bring. So, which side of the story do you choose?