Look, I’ve Seen This Movie Before
It was 1999. I was a wet-behind-the-ears tech reporter in Seattle, sipping overpriced coffee at a place that’s probably a bank now. A guy named Marcus—let’s call him Marcus—leaned across the table and said, “Liz, the internet’s gonna change everything.” I laughed. I mean, really? How?
Fast forward to 2023. I’m older, grumpier, and now I’m the one saying, “Kids, AI’s gonna change everything.” And yeah, yeah, I sound like a broken record. But hear me out.
AI’s Everywhere, and That’s the Problem
Honestly, I’m tired of hearing about AI. It’s like the word “synergy” in the 90s—everyone’s using it, no one knows what it means. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an AI startup, an AI feature, an AI promise. It’s exhausting.
But here’s the thing: AI is changing stuff. Maybe not as much as the hype-people say, but enough. My friend Dave—colleague, actually—showed me this AI tool that writes press releases. I tried it. It’s completley terrible. But! It’s getting better. Faster than I’m getting older, which is saying something.
Let’s Talk About the Real Stuff
Okay, so last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin. Boring, right? But this one panel—AI in healthcare—was actually kinda interesting. A doctor, let’s call her Dr. Patel, said something that stuck with me. She said, “AI’s not gonna replace doctors, but doctors using AI will replace doctors who aren’t.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
And look, I’m not saying AI’s gonna cure cancer tomorrow. But it’s gonna help. It’s already helping. In small ways, in big ways, in ways we don’t even see yet. And that’s exciting. It’s also scary. But mostly exciting.
But What About the Bad Stuff?
Oh, you knew this was coming. The bad stuff. The dark side. The “what ifs.” What if AI takes all the jobs? What if it gets too smart? What if it turns us into batteries? (Okay, that last one’s from a movie, but still.)
I asked Dave about this. He’s a tech ethicist, which is a fancy way of saying he worries about stuff like this for a living. He said, “Liz, people have been worrying about machines taking over since the Luddites. And guess what? We’re still here.” I asked him if he was gonna say “we’re fine” next. He rolled his eyes. “No, I’m not gonna say we’re fine. I’m saying we adapt.”
But here’s the thing about adapting: it’s not always pretty. It’s not always fair. And it’s not always fast enough. So yeah, I’m worried. But I’m also hopeful. Mostly.
A Tangent: Remember When We Thought VR Was Gonna Be a Thing?
So, about three months ago, I was at this tech meetup. Some guy—let’s call him Steve—was showing off his new VR headset. “This is the future,” he said. I tried it. I almost walked into a wall. The future can wait.
But here’s the thing about tech: it’s not always the next big thing that changes everything. Sometimes it’s the small stuff. The stuff you don’t see coming. The stuff that’s not even about tech. Like how AI might not change healthcare, but it might change how doctors talk to patients. Or how teachers teach. Or how we write press releases. (Still terrible at that, by the way.)
So What Do We Do?
I’m not sure. Honestly, I’m not. But I think we start by calming down. AI’s not a magic wand. It’s a tool. And like any tool, it’s only as good as the person using it. So let’s use it wisely. Let’s use it breaking news update today—wait, no, that’s not what I meant. Let’s use it responsibly.
And for the love of all that’s holy, can we please stop using the word “synergy”?
Anyway, I’m gonna go. I’ve got a meeting with an AI that writes meeting notes. Wish me luck.
About the Author: Liz Carter is a senior editor with 20+ years of experience in the tech industry. She’s seen trends come and go, and she’s not impressed. When she’s not writing, she’s probably complaining about something. You can find her on Twitter @LizCarter or not, because she’s not that cool.
