While hanging out with a friend last weekend, the topic of AI came up, as it often does these days.
“I refuse to drink water from low-income families,” said one friend.
He was, of course, referring to reports that AI data centers use millions of gallons of water a day. Everyone in the room nodded in agreement.
All the while, I remained silent and tried to hide the shame written all over my face. Little did anyone know that I downloaded the ChatGPT app on my phone and use it every day.
We understand everyone’s concerns about AI.
The future of AI is uncertain and worrying. I admit that.
Beyond environmental concerns, I often think about how AI will impact my work as a journalist. Will I become useless soon? What other industries will AI disrupt?
I worry about Generation Alpha, who will grow up knowing nothing but a world of instant answers and beautifully written essays within seconds. Will they one day learn how to write themselves?
I worry that even older people like us will become too reliant on AI to answer questions that we would have painstakingly researched ourselves in the days before search engines. Will we lose all critical thinking skills?
For me, the benefits of AI outweigh the uncertain future.
On the other hand, AI has become a part of my daily life. Now, instead of searching on Google, you can simply browse ChatGPT for faster and more comprehensive answers.
For example, recently I was traveling from Denver International Airport and was fascinated by the roof. It looked like a circus tent tarpaulin, and I wondered how it would hold up in a storm. I asked ChatGPT what the roofs of airports are made of.
We were immediately given a comprehensive explanation of how airport roofs work. In the past, I wouldn’t have bothered to Google that question and would just have to read multiple websites and watch a few videos to finally get the answer. In some ways, I think AI has made me more knowledgeable.
As an editor, I often receive hundreds of emails a day. We trained ChatGPT to organize emails from highest to lowest priority. It will tell you what doesn’t need to be opened and what needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
I also use it for research at work. ChatGPT does a great job of compiling all the research on the internet and summarizing it into easy-to-understand graphs. Of course, you’ll need to double-check that the information is accurate and that the research actually exists, but I find it easier than doing all the research myself using Google search.
But every time I use a bot, I wonder if I’m shooting myself in the foot for training an AI to do a job for me. Still, I tell myself that can’t do what I’m doing. That’s not the kind of journalist I’ve been trained to be.
ChatGPT was also useful in social situations. When a friend recently came to me for help with a mental health issue, I asked AI how I could help her get through this difficult time. The bot gave me a list of responses and another list of resources to send.
AI has helped me in so many ways over the past year. I’m looking forward to seeing how AI changes my day-to-day. But I know that those around me view these perks with a critical eye, and I have to live with that shame.
I hate keeping this part of my life hidden from most of my friends. I wish we could have more open and honest conversations about the benefits of AI.
I still carry shame but hope for a better future
I don’t see the dynamic between me and my friends on this subject changing anytime soon.
Instead, I hope we can pivot and find ways to incorporate AI into our lives without it disrupting entire industries or entire generations.
This is easier said than done, but I know that people will say I’m being willfully naive or willfully ignoring real concerns.
However, this is not the first major technological advance in history. From the printing press, to the industrial revolution, to the dot-com bubble, to now AI, humans have always come out on top.
I hope it’s the same this time.
