Dr. Salman Ghouri
The
world is undergoing a transformation driven by the exponential growth of
artificial intelligence (AI) - a pace of unprecedented change in human history.
Is this truly the case? Yes… or perhaps not entirely.
Throughout
history, every major invention has reshaped society and improved human life.
Electricity, automobiles, airplanes, refrigerators, washing machines, medical
technologies, farming tools, and countless household gadgets have all
contributed to greater comfort and efficiency. Did these innovations create
mass unemployment? Or did they enhance human productivity and quality of life?
The answer is clear: they improved our lives. Should we expect the same from
AI?
The
purpose of this short article is to explore the potential benefits of AI and
its implications for human society.
A Brief Look Back
History
shows that technological inventions bring continuous improvements in economic
productivity, efficiency, and quality of life. Many innovations that were once
considered luxuries eventually became essential parts of everyday living.
Consider
the invention of the typewriter in the 18th century, which revolutionized
business communication. In the 1960s, pocket-sized electronic calculators
emerged, followed by computers and laptops. When we were graduate students in
the late 1970s, our professors—trained in the United States—would proudly show
regression results generated by computers in seconds, replacing hours of manual
calculations. Each time a breakthrough occurred, humanity felt it had reached
its peak. Yet progress continued, and it will continue until the end of time.
Modern
inventions such as smartphones, the internet, and apps like WhatsApp and
Facebook have made communication instantaneous and nearly cost-free. They have
even reduced the need for travel, as people can see and speak to loved ones
whenever they wish.
However,
these conveniences have come with subtle costs. Our memory capacity has
weakened. We once remembered phone numbers, spellings, and grammar rules.
Today, we rely on devices to correct our mistakes and store our information.
Without realizing it, we have become dependent on these tools—sometimes to the
point of forgetting our own phone numbers.
The Rise of AI
AI
is not new. Its foundations were laid in the 1940s and 1950s, with significant
progress in the 1980s. But investment surged in the 2020s, driven by the
development of transformer architectures and large language models (LLMs) such
as ChatGPT. These models demonstrate human‑like traits—knowledge, reasoning,
creativity—and have rapidly integrated into countless sectors.
This
exponential growth has sparked both excitement and concern. Many fear that AI
will lead to mass unemployment, reducing consumer spending and slowing global
GDP growth. Yet history suggests otherwise. Innovations in farming increased
yields and shifted labor to other sectors. Industrial automation displaced some
jobs but created new ones. Medical advancements improved life expectancy and
productivity. Every major revolution has ultimately increased disposable income
and improved quality of life.
Unemployment
in developing countries today is largely due to poor governance and slow
adoption of modern technologies—not technological progress itself.
Will AI Be Different?
Some
argue that AI is fundamentally different from past inventions and could indeed
cause widespread unemployment. We cannot stop or slow down AI’s exponential
progress. Therefore, policymakers, economists, philosophers, and academics must
urgently debate how to manage its consequences—economic, social, psychological,
and cultural.
AI
already performs tasks once handled by receptionists, telephone operators,
analysts, and many professionals. Autonomous vehicles, drone deliveries, and
robotic automation are advancing rapidly. The impact could be far greater than
anything we have seen.
On
the other hand, one may argue that AI—like past inventions—will ultimately
improve human life. A moderate and balanced pace of AI development would allow
society to adapt gradually. But uncontrolled growth could be dangerous, perhaps
even catastrophic.
The Real Danger
AI
is growing exponentially. At some point, it may exceed human capacity to
control it. Science fiction movies have imagined machines destroying
civilization. Those were fictional stories—but the underlying concern is real.
More
troubling is the subtle erosion of human thinking. We increasingly rely on AI
tools for quick answers, analysis, and decision‑making. Over time, unused
cognitive abilities weaken. If we depend entirely on AI, we risk becoming
slaves to the very systems we created. A single glitch in a supercomputer could
trigger catastrophic consequences.
Is
this how the world ends? Or will humanity—like it has always done—adapt to new
realities and continue striving for a better, more comfortable life for future
generations? A harmonious joke this article is also edited by AI!
