Back in January we wrote a blog post about whether you should use AI generated content on your website. At the time of the article it felt that AI was in its infancy and ChatGPT was the main player in the market, however since then a number of big players have launched their own services that have meant that AI has been projected into the mainstream media. You may have seen the famous AI generated image of the Pope in a Puffer Jacket, the recent storm in the art world about an AI generated image winning a prestigious photography prize and countless articles warning us that AI is coming for your job.
One of the tools that we couldn’t live without in the office is Canva and they have been releasing more and more tools recently that use AI. You can easily create images using ‘Text to Image’ which helps you to create the exact image you want and you can now edit existing images by changing your clothes and hairstyles in just a few clicks using the ‘Magic Edit’ tool.
Google has also launched Google Bard which can now generate and debug code that can help software developers. However in the rush to launch Bard some Google employees are critical calling it a “a pathological liar” and have raised concerns around the ethics of it.
We have been discussing AI in the office quite a lot recently so we asked the team what their thoughts were on the technology and how they used it already:
Phil
Hmmm I remain sceptical about fully letting go to something that has ‘artificial intelligence’ for fear that the results could be inaccurate or a misinterpreted version of what I actually meant to communicate. I do not doubt that this will be the ‘norm’ in the future but it probably will not be my own future. At what point do we dehumanise our extraordinary world! Why would we want to do that? To save a little bit of time? Because we have become too lazy to carry out basic tasks ourselves? What a truly sad day that will be.Although I consider myself to be a ‘modern’ man and I even work in a modern digital job, I’ll stick to my notepad and good old fashioned fountain pen to take notes. Long live the reverse revolution…!
Allan
I recently read an article which had some interesting takes on AI for both good and bad, and the ethical issues faced by us as humans in developing and using AI. It has the potential to be fantastic, make access to special education possible for some who simply couldn’t physically access it, or solve complex problems in healthcare for cancer treatments, vaccines etc. but at the other end of the scale, it could also be weaponised in lots of ways making it extremely scary.
The article compared it to the industrial revolution when humans built machines to replace humans for hard labour, which as we know was transformational and a huge achievement. AI has the potential to do the same.
As humans, there will always be a desire by some to make money above anything else, and that is where AI could go wrong. There needs to be strong governance on the creation and use of AI, but even then there is no guarantee it will not be used in spurious ways.
We already experience AI in some many different ways, with automated phone calls that react differently depending on the answer you give as one example, but I am still wary of what could happen. Even with advances in technology, it feels a long way away to having my own R2D2 that is affordable!
Sarah
Personally AI does worry me, especially with younger generations turning to it to research difficulties they may be facing personally such as mental health, I worry that there is no accountability with a chat bot, what are its ethics and I don’t feel that our governments and laws can’t keep up with the developing technology. However, on a personal note, I absolutely hate creating my weekly meal plans so I have been using AI to generate menu plans and shopping lists which has helped me discover some new recipes!
Amanda
AI is unfortunately that double edge sword where on one hand it has fantastic applications and on the other the dark side of encouraging less and less social interaction. I have mixed feelings on this as I have found AI extremely useful for yoga applications and lesson planning; and used in this format it can be time saving and informative. I still believe that we need human interaction and as more AI products are introduced will this fall by the wayside? Working from home has already had a profound isolation effect, my fear is AI could do the same.
Maisy
I think like anything, AI has its pros and cons. In a professional capacity it’s fascinating to see it at work and sometimes incredibly helpful when you find yourself in those moments of creative block or blank canvas syndrome and need something to get the creative juices flowing! Though I think it’s important to remember that it’s a crutch and not the answer to everything.
More now than ever, as the likes of Canva and Snapchat have adopted AI functions, I’m starting to see how something pretty techy and cool could infiltrate into EVERYTHING we use and potentially become quite ugly and used for the wrong reasons, especially in the everyday as it dehumanises life as we know it to be. Since it’s in its infancy and the evolution of AI isn’t something we can accurately predict, I’m more inclined to err on the side of caution at the moment, but I’m still listening 😊
Jess
Although I agree with some of the concerns, I can’t help but look at AI with a glass half full approach. Media coverage is defaulting to the perspective that AI will take our jobs, and while AI will replace some roles in some industries, I also think that AI and its development will also create thousands of jobs and new sectors in the future!
There are scary elements to AI, and I think some of that comes from the fear of unknown - which was probably experienced in the early days of the internet! But it’s also super exciting to think of all the positive impacts AI could have, such as the development of new technologies to support our healthcare system and help solve crimes more efficiently.
If AI-powered technologies can also help solve complex problems and make our daily lives easier, think of the time we’d gain to do more ‘human-natured’ tasks that require creativity, empathy, and team collaboration. I think there are opportunities for AI to make our home lives simpler, worklives more collaborative and efficient, and increase happiness!
George
As a developer I am always intrigued into how things work, especially when it comes to tech. That's why I find AI extremely interesting.
However, it also scares the life out of me.
Luke
As fascinating as AI is in its current state, I still believe it is in its infancy. Even though this is the case, It is still an extremely powerful technology and tool, especially with AI generated art. I also don’t think it is a great idea to find reliance in it like the younger generations seem to be recently with ChatGPT, but I suppose we will find out soon enough…
Chipz
Well, imagine a world where dogs could talk to humans through AI translators, order our own food online, and even play virtual fetch! Plus, AI could help humans better understand our emotions and behaviour, leading to happier and healthier pups. Who's a good girl now? *
*Generated by AI
–
Feel free to let us know your thoughts about AI on social media, we find it such a fascinating topic and can’t help wonder how this technology will change and develop in the next few months!