PEOPLE matters – AI: Friend or foe?
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Dr Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey reflect on the implications of ChatGPT for the world of work.
Can you tell if this article is written by a human or by a computer?
A year ago, this was a question that very few people thought worthy of consideration. But since ChatGPT was released in November 2022, the power and potential of the technology has stunned the world and posed fundamental questions about what it means to be human.
An AI chatbot that uses natural language processing to create humanlike conversational dialogue, ChatGPT can respond to questions and compose various written content, including writing articles, essays, social media posts and emails.
The speed of uptake has been phenomenal. ChatGPT has acquired over 100 million users in a few months. It is already being used to code, programme, read legal texts, and summarise research papers.
It has passed the US Bar exam in the 90th percentile and may be capable of correcting those very papers shortly. The entire plumbing of the professional world has the possibility of being reworked and new businesses set up based on AI tools.
In late March over 1,000 scientists, including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, called for a six month pause on the development of AI including ChatGPT-4 noting that “advanced AI could represent a profound change in the history of life on Earth and should be planned for and managed with commensurate care and resources”. Were they overreacting?
Perhaps not, at least as far as the world of work is concerned. Goldman Sachs predict the potential loss of over 300 million jobs globally as a result of “generative” AI such as ChatGPT. Those likely to be displaced include those in professional and managerial roles – including areas such as customer service – which have previously not been targets for automation.
On the other hand, there may be great opportunities. Sir Christopher Pissarides, professor of economics at the London School of Economics, and Nobel prize winner, seems optimistic. He claims that AI could hasten advances in productivity, remove boring tasks and enable us to move to a four-day week. This would give all of us more leisure time for more creative activities.
We seem to remember hearing that argument some 30 years ago with the prediction of the “paperless office”, but now we are more overwhelmed than ever!
The CIPD (Chartered Institute for Personnel Development) issued some initial guidelines on the use and potential of ChatGPT in an article called “Impact of ChatGPT and other AI chatbots on the future of Work” on March, 27, 2023.
The article cautioned against using chatbots without building in checks for accuracies and biases. As the generative aspects of the technology are built primarily on inputs from the internet, its outputs can contain many inaccuracies, as well as reflecting prejudices, discrimination and bad practice from what has happened in the past.
For these reasons, the CIPD recommends that organisations need to create their own AI policy and limit its use to creating early drafts of documents. It claims that AI will have an impact on how we work, taking the “drudge” out of some tasks and making other roles redundant. Any time saved can be used to reinforce human skills and abilities such as critical thinking, empathy, creativity and problem solving.
Many organisations report that their people are currently so focused on transactional interactions they have little time to pause, take stock and use these skills. Rather than laying people off, employers should consider how the time saved can be used to create new opportunities and upskill employees.
Our view is that advanced AI does indeed represent a profound change in life on earth. The technology will not go away but will improve rapidly and it is up to us how we use and manage it. People will always be needed, but how and in what ways we contribute to achieving our goals will change radically.
And for those who are curious – yes, we did write this article ourselves without using ChatGPT! But next year, who knows?
Arrivals and Departures
Kansas City Aviation Department’s aviation director, Patrick Klein, is to retire on May 31, 2023, after serving the City of Kansas for 25 years. One of his last acts was to oversee the successful opening of Kansas City International Airport’s new terminal.
Vincent Harrison has left his position as managing director of Dublin Airport to take up the wider role of chief commercial and development officer for Irish airport operator, daa.
Munich Airport NJ LLC, the operator of the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport, has announced the appointment of Michael Kunz as the company’s new CEO.
Chris Dinsdale is the new president and CEO of Calgary Airport Authority. Born and raised in Canada, Dinsdale joins the airport authority from Budapest Airport where he held a similar position.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad has appointed former Federal Court judge, YBhg Tan Sri Datuk Zainun Binti Ali, as its non-independent non-executive chairman.
Mike Dunn has announced his intention to step down as executive director of the Greater Rockford Airport Authority (GRAA) – operator of Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) – at the end of the year after more than 12 years in the position.