The AI Debate: Redundancy or Transformation?

A few days ago, I came across an article where the author boldly claimed that human beings are on the verge of redundancy due to advancements in AI. The author, who is a founder of an organization, argued that AI offers several advantages over humans: it doesn’t take breaks, doesn’t make excuses, doesn’t demand salary hikes, and can handle multiple projects simultaneously, thereby increasing profitability. The only investment required, according to the author, is periodic hardware upgrades and software subscriptions, ensuring five years of computing needs.

On the other hand, many experts, especially from technology firms, believe that AI won’t replace humans entirely. Instead, they stress that workers need to upgrade their AI skills to stay relevant. By leveraging AI tools to handle monotonous and repetitive tasks, employees can focus on core development, improving the quality of their output. Additionally, the time saved by using AI tools can be used for personal pursuits, spending time with loved ones, or simply resting.

AI in Media Sales: Complementing, Not Replacing

As someone working in media sales, I have observed how AI is transforming the way we approach clients. Media sales isn't about selling inventory—it’s about crafting customized solutions tailored to client needs. In the past, preparing for a client meeting involved researching the client on Google to understand their business or latest updates. This preparation was heavily reliant on editorial and marketing teams, making it challenging to be agile during client interactions.

With the advent of AI, sales professionals can now reduce their dependency on other teams. AI tools can assist in creating concepts quickly, but the foundation must come from the salesperson. The salesperson should use AI to refine, structure, and enhance their ideas. For example, if you’re pitching a campaign idea, you can conceptualize it manually and then use AI to edit and polish it for presentation.

However, while AI can assist with concept creation, the human element remains irreplaceable. A salesperson brings personalization to the pitch—through voice modulation, facial expressions, and the ability to adapt in real time based on the client's body language. Face-to-face interactions also allow for rapport-building over shared interests or casual conversations, something AI cannot replicate. A personal meeting, whether over tea or a drink, adds an emotional connection that strengthens professional relationships.

The Role of Human Intervention in Data Analysis

When working on campaign briefs, AI tools are invaluable for extracting audience profiles based on client-provided keywords. However, this process is not foolproof. For instance, if a client requests profiles of Head/Senior Network Engineers specializing in cloud networking, the AI might pull a broad list of engineers, not all of whom specialize in cloud networking. This is where human intervention becomes critical. Manual tagging, based on personal connections or prior knowledge, ensures that the final audience list aligns with the client’s requirements.

Implications for Coders and Other Professions

In software development, AI can generate code based on prompts, reducing the need for deep expertise in programming languages like JavaScript, Python, or C++. This has sparked debates about whether future generations need to learn coding fundamentals or even basic literacy skills like reading and writing, as AI can read texts aloud or summarize information for them.

While AI tools offer unprecedented convenience, understanding the logic and fundamentals behind these processes remains crucial. Without foundational knowledge, relying solely on AI could lead to a lack of innovation and problem-solving skills.

The Bigger Picture

As someone in IT media, I am fortunate to witness how emerging technologies like AI are reshaping industries. The rapid pace of innovation and adoption is impressive, but I firmly believe that no technology can replace humans entirely. AI and other technologies are human creations, designed to assist and enhance our capabilities, not replace us.

In their book Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig discuss pivotal moments in evolution—when the choice arose to remain apes or to evolve into Homo sapiens. Similarly, we may soon face a decision: to remain "Human Beings" or to become "AI-augmented Human Beings." Regardless of this choice, humans will remain irreplaceable. However, those who fail to adapt and upgrade their skills risk being outpaced by those who embrace change.