AI's Impact and Who's Really Driving This Revolution?
- Brainz Magazine
- Jun 18
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 19
Written by Sharon McKimm, Life and Diversity Coach
Sharon is an empathetic and results-driven Life and Executive Coach with 27+ years of global experience. She transforms lives and organizations through her insightful coaching approach, combining her Advanced Diploma in Personal Leadership and Postgraduate Diploma in Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion with life and multicultural expertise.
Maybe it's because it's all moved so very quickly. I was a child of rotary phones, eight-track tapes, and Soul Train. How much old school can you get? And yes, the first time I touched a computer was a Wang (look it up) and had to be careful when I looked away from the monochrome screen because all things white were pink (again, look that up).
I had to put myself in context for this foray into the AI debate. I'm not tech adverse, in fact, I worked for many years in the localisation industry, a subdivision of the IT business. The speculation and tension surrounding the evolution of all things AI is shared by many of the public. As I listen to the back and forth of this debate, there is one thought that echoes through my mind: "Who asked for this new technology?" "What public need is it fulfilling?"
I thought I'd take the question to the source and ask Chapy (my nickname for ChatGPT). Chapy provided a thoughtful answer, "AI was asked for by humanity's thirst for knowledge, problem-solving, and innovation. It's not a single answer to one question; it's the unfolding of many questions over time. If you're wondering whether we should have asked for it, or who benefits and who doesn't, that's a whole ethical discussion and I'd be happy to explore that too if you're interested."
Chapy was right, I wasn't posing the question that is at the heart of my concern. What's at the core is what I fear is the "who benefits and who doesn't". Let's face it, there are many for which AI will mean a loss, and I certainly don't buy the effervescent optimism of some AI experts.
I'm sceptical. I notice that although we have been sold the convenience of new techie tools, I spend more time doing admin in situations where previously I would have been provided human service. My life, in incremental ways, involves more administration than it did before.
I'm sure many would dismiss me as a tech sceptic, but again, I'm not. I do think that there are useful applications for AI and this is a moment where the human condition can be improved. But with profit and capitalism as the driving force, I fear this is not the destination for the AI journey. I also consider it dangerous that there is not one main, controlling driver behind the wheel. Instead, there are several companies that look to develop this advancement for profit. Watching the health care sector being fuelled by profit drivers paints a daunting picture of caution.
Modern tech has expanded my admin skills and has put me to work on various aspects of everyday life, travel being just one example (check-ins, booking flights and hotels, etc.).
I have even found that instead of streamlining my ability to purchase concert tickets or troubleshoot issues with my insurance or utility companies, I spend a lot of time on the phone waiting, waiting, and waiting. It's impossible to talk to a human being to find a solution to a problem or issue. Heaven forbid I had an issue that didn't fall into one of the areas that the automated telephone or FAQ screening outlined. Which number should I press now?
I'm not the only one chanting this refrain. While AI progressives would like to dismiss folks like me by saying we are old-fashioned, I don't think anyone would hear this refrain or complaint if there wasn't a grain of truth. If it were easy to get issues solved or troubleshoot a travel ticket without the frustration of dealing with an automated chatbot, no one would hunger for the voice of a human being on the other end of the phone.
Even before this AI frenzy, I remember queuing at the bank. They had closed many branches, and this one local branch had three machines inside and one human teller. The line for the teller stretched to the back of the building. The teller was annoyed when I presented her with my deposit slip and cheque.
"Why didn't you use the machine?" she asked.
"I've had issues with using them," I responded. "I prefer to wait and to know that the money is lodged into my account." She shook her head, made a "humm" sound, and proceeded to process my deposit.
I found it interesting that instead of egging on my loyalty to human tellers, she was encouraging the demise of her profession, the human teller. I resisted the urge to relate my machine deposit horror story, and the bounce fees that resulted from a cheque that was undiscovered in a machine for two months. I liked the certainty of a human teller, thanks. I bit my lip to stop myself from enlightening her regarding her betrayal of her profession.
So, this is where we are, and I accept that the advent of AI is inevitable, but I don't buy the slick, "This will be beneficial to mankind," sales pitch.
Chapy was right, my real question is who benefits and who doesn't? What happens to taxi drivers as driverless cars proliferate? What professions will slowly disappear as companies go on cost-cutting binges to improve their bottom line? I went back trolling around for other answers.
The reality of AI's impact
The research paints a complex picture. Tech companies and startups are seeing massive value increases, with big players like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI leading the charge. Meanwhile, highly skilled workers, data scientists, machine learning engineers, and AI ethics experts, are experiencing unprecedented demand. According to McKinsey's 2023 analysis, generative AI could add $2.6 to $ 4.4 trillion annually in global economic value. That's a staggering number that helps explain the gold rush mentality.
But here's where my scepticism finds solid ground. The World Economic Forum's 2023 Future of Jobs Report reveals a sobering reality: while 69 million new jobs may emerge, 83 million could be eliminated - a net loss of 14 million jobs in the short term. Goldman Sachs research suggests AI could replace or disrupt 300 million full-time jobs globally. These aren't just abstract statistics; they represent real people facing real displacement.
The pattern is already emerging. Administrative and clerical jobs are declining as AI-powered automation takes hold. Customer service representatives find themselves competing with increasingly sophisticated chatbots. Even creative professionals, writers, illustrators, and musicians are grappling with AI tools that can produce content at lightning speed and at a fraction of the cost.
McKinsey estimates that by 2030, 30% of work hours in the U.S. could be automated by AI. I think it’s important to pause and reflect on that. Nearly one-third of our working time could be handled by machines within the next six years. The professions most at risk read like a cross-section of middle-class employment: data entry clerks, paralegals, basic accounting roles, proofreaders, translators, and retail cashiers.
Workers in economically vulnerable regions face challenges. In developing nations where outsourcing has been common, automation could mean dramatically less demand for remote human workers in call centers and transcription services. Older workers or the digitally disconnected may find themselves displaced, exacerbating an already concerning digital divide.
Weighing the balance
The potential gains are undeniable: dramatic productivity boosts, enhanced personalization in healthcare and education, lower costs, faster innovation cycles, and improved accessibility tools. AI can provide real-time translation, assistive technologies, and solutions to complex problems we've struggled with for decades.
But the cons are equally real: job displacement and growing inequality, the risk of biased AI systems perpetuating discrimination, data privacy and security concerns, the spread of misinformation and deepfakes, and the potential for ethical misuse in surveillance and decision-making without proper oversight.
The critical question isn't whether AI will transform our world; it already has. The question is whether that transformation will benefit humanity broadly or concentrate power and wealth in the hands of a few tech giants driven primarily by profit motives.
The need for direction
This brings me back to my central concern about who's driving this technological revolution. Right now, we have several companies racing to develop AI advancements, each motivated primarily by profit and market dominance. There's no coordinated approach, no unified vision for how this technology should serve society's broader interests.
The gains could potentially outweigh the cons, but only if we accelerate reskilling and upskilling efforts, and if governments and organizations ensure ethical, fair deployment across the many industries being affected. Governments need to legislate effective safety nets for displaced workers and modernize regulations to protect labour rights and personal data.
Here's my take: governments should be behind the AI innovation driver's wheel. They are the ones who need to ensure that the fuel in the AI engine isn't solely profit-based but includes a formula for the furtherance and benefit of humankind. Without this oversight and intentional direction, we're going to see the same patterns we've witnessed in healthcare and other sectors where profit motives have overridden the public good.
Right now, we are all passengers in a driverless car that hasn't been programmed with a clear destination in mind. We need governments to step up and take control of the steering wheel before this powerful technology careens off course. The stakes are too high, and the potential consequences too far-reaching, to leave AI's development solely in the hands of private corporations seeking to maximize shareholder value.
The future of work, the nature of human interaction, and the very fabric of our society hang in the balance. It's time for democratic institutions to assert their role in shaping how AI develops and deploys, ensuring it serves all of humanity rather than just those positioned to profit from it.
Read more from Sharon McKimm
Sharon McKimm, Life and Diversity Coach
Sharon is a life and diversity coach dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations to achieve meaningful change and growth. Through her work at Guiding Light, she helps clients find clarity, overcome obstacles, and align their daily actions with their deepest values. Drawing from her multicultural upbringing in the Bronx and corporate leadership experience, Sharon brings a unique blend of cultural intelligence, business acumen, and empathy to her coaching. Her mission: Guidance to empower change and growth.
