The Future of Work in an AI-Driven World: How Will Generalists and Specialists Fare?
As AI continues to shape the future of work, the question arises: Who will rise to the challenge & come out on top? We are witnessing AI growth exponentially around us, Will it be the versatile generalists or the specialised experts? I’m rooting for generalists, lets see why
Why generalists over specialists ?
Take the example of playing chess, it’s important to understand that the game has set of rules and recognisable patterns. With time and practice, one can master the game and become a specialist in the field of chess.
However, chess has always been played in the same way, and it will continue to be played that way unless someone changes the rules of the game. As long as it stays same, it can easily be automated by an AI engine because of its logical and predictable nature. In a matter of minutes, the AI can learn and master the patterns and strategies that a human player may take years to understand. As a result, the AI can now play against other AI’s and even teach the game without human assistance.
I bring this up because anything that is static or operates within defined boundaries, repetitive tasks can be automated. This puts specialists at risk, as their expertise in a specific field or task may no longer be necessary with the advent of automation.
In your whole professional life, If your skillset is limited to specific tasks such as customer service, working in a call centre, or utilising a specific programming language for data analysis or financial pattern recognition, or copy writer etc, you may be at risk of being replaced by an AI-based tool.
AI being the master of all trades:
Now these AI tools are significant threat to jobs that involve repetitive tasks. This is particularly true for developers/coders, whose jobs rely heavily on logic, recognisable patterns & mathematical formulas, which can easily be replicated or learned by AI. It is happening now and we already witnessing AI writing the code.
It’s important to note that AI’s ability to automate certain tasks does not come at the cost of its proficiency in other areas. For example, an AI can excel in software development while simultaneously being an expert chess player (like above example), or a proficient financial data analyst. This poses a significant challenge for professionals in these fields as they risk being replaced by machines that can do their job better and faster.
Talking about AI writing code,..
I recently came across a tweet from Andrej Karpathy, AI dev & famous figure in the field of AI development, a computer scientist. He previously worked as the director of AI and Autopilot Vision at Tesla, and this specific tweet in question caught my attention.
Imagine a seasoned professional in the field of AI, with extensive experience at Tesla, saying that “it’s hard to imagine going back to manual coding.” the implication being that AI-based tools now handle the majority of code-writing, leaving human coders to focus on editing and fine-tuning.
Now, consider a young, aspiring coder who has just graduated from college and invested significant time and resources into training. What would this individual think upon reading such a statement?
It’s difficult to know for certain, but let me guess.. they may question the entire point of their education and wonder if they just wasted their time and resources. But, the silver lining is that they could always adapt and evolve to become a better coder in the age of AI, learning new methods, new tools.
This could involve learning & working closely with AI, not only coding learning other domains and expanding their skillset to become a generalist rather than a specialist. By doing so, they may increase their chances of success and survival in a competitive world.
“survival of the fittest”,.. harsh truth but thats how capitalistic societies work. it pushes you to work harder, we are at the beginning of the AI curve”
Moving towards wicked environments:
In the 20th century, specialists were at the forefront of knowledge, innovation, and invention. However, in the Information Age we find ourselves in now, technological advancements such as personal computers and smartphones have made it easier for information to spread rapidly and for generalists to access a vast pool of world knowledge. People who can adapt and demonstrate their “range” by taking information from one area and applying it to another have become increasingly valued.
In the book “RANGE” by David Epstein, he explains that the world is running on a spectrum from of one type of learning environment to another environment:
- Kind environments, characterised by clear rules, repetitive patterns, and unchanging tasks. Specialists whose jobs are at risk fall under this category.
- Wicked environments, characterised by obscure data, no rules, constant change, and abstract ideas. Generalists who can adapt and excel across different skillsets fall under this category.
As the world and the work we do evolves, we are moving towards wicked environments, characterised by ambiguity, subjectivity, and the need for human touch.
In this age of AI, we will need more individuals who possess a broad range of skills, and can think creatively and abstractly in order to navigate these ever-changing conditions.
While AI is capable of performing tasks that were once exclusive to specialists, it is not yet able to replicate the human ability to interpret and understand abstract concepts and ideas. As we move towards a more complex and dynamic world, there will be a greater emphasis on soft skills such as creativity, emotional intelligence, and the ability to collaborate and bring ideas together. This is where human touch will play an irreplaceable role, and where generalists will thrive.
For the wicked world, You should have more broader training base in your mind, so you can bent abstract ideas, obscure ideas for the current world as the world changing itself.
Designs and art pieces can be interpreted in countless ways, making it a challenging task for AI to replicate. While it may be difficult for humans to view an art piece from multiple perspectives, it is even more so for AI as long as the desired outcome is abstract. AI is not capable of thinking in the same way as humans do when it comes to interpreting abstract concepts.
Shifts & modifications that are on the horizon:
You might disagree with my previous statement that AI is not as capable as humans when it comes to interpreting abstract concepts. However, it’s worth noting that we already have AI generators like Midjourney, Dall-E 2, and Stable Diffusion, which are popular among both artists and non-artists to produce art and designs by simply entering text prompts.
This raises the question, who do you think has an edge when it comes to creating the best art? A person who is only proficient in illustration, or a person who is an architect but also has knowledge and experience in fields such as fine art, creative writing, medieval history, and visual design? Clearly, the latter person would have an advantage and be able to create better art and adapt more easily.
In every profession, the only limits are the user’s imagination and the models used in the process. We are seeing a shift where traditional roles such as writing, coding, and art and design are becoming more about editing and generative art.
This is a paradigm shift and we can expect to see more legacy jobs in the tech industry being phased out in the future.
Whats next?
It is impossible to predict the future with certainty, but I believe that even though generalists have an advantage over specialists, we need both in order to progress in this Information Age.
Similar to OpenAI, many more AI engines may be developed in the future. Who knows which billion-dollar company is secretly working on an AI engine or what advancements Apple or Google have in store for us in the field of AI? As more AI products are created by utilising APIs of AI engines, companies and even nations may compete for access to data.
The more one thinks about it, the more questions arise — will we ever achieve artificial consciousness and technological singularity in the distant future? If we continue to rely on AI to perform tasks and make decisions, what will be left for humans to create? Mmm.. Perhaps this is a topic for another blog.
It is possible that new job opportunities will arise and the lines between professions will become blurred.
We have already begun to unconsciously or consciously outsource our thinking to the internet, much like how Google has become a fundamental part of our daily lives. It is likely that something similar will occur with AI in the future.
The best course of action is to be prepared for it.
Thank you for reading this :)
