AI Hype is about to die, expert suggests

Artificial intelligence has created a lot of buzz in recent years, with ongoing concerns for job security, online safety and lack of accountability. Not to mention, the disturbing deepfakes targeting women in particular.

Even Elon Musk and a thousand fellow tech leaders penned an open letter in 2023 to put a pause on large-scale AI experiments, suggesting they can "pose profound risks to society and humanity."

Now, Ian Beacraft of Signal & Cipher has expressed his thoughts during the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference.

He believes that there are about six weeks left for the AI buzz, saying that there will be a time in the near future when "AI is just expected."

"In a few years, we’ll talk about AI the same way we do digital," he said. "It will be assumed."

Beacraft suggested that people underestimate the rapid growth AI is having, citing how Google "re-engineered its entire product line" using AI.

He went on to address the concerns of staff and jobs being replaced by AI, saying concerns were valid.

"I personally believe that our systems for work are broken," he continued, adding that "jobs are dead, but work isn't."

While AI may affect some jobs, Beacraft said the creative generalist (which he described as finding ways to use AI to assist with work, being adaptable and willingness to acquire new skills) is a game-changing concept and will "change the conversation."

In a recent study published by TCS, 90 per cent of futurists are optimistic about the implementation of AI and the way we work. A further 40 per cent are "very optimistic" and agree with the statement that "AI will significantly improve work experience with possible outcomes such as shorter work weeks, fluid careers, the advent of AI therapists, hybrid/remote work in roles that were not possible before, and other novel benefits."

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