Meeting a 'Jetsons' World Head On
#futureofwork #futureofhealth #futureofeducation
I am excited by the possibilities of a ‘Jetsons’ or ‘Jetsonian’ world with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the like. For those who’ve never seen The Jetsons, this cartoon was based on the ‘misadventures of a futuristic family’. However, the reality of our future just being just fun or exciting like The Jetsons, is not painting a realistic view of what is to come.
Recently, I read a book called AI Super-Powers, by Dr Kai-Fu Lee. I came across it after hearing this author interviewed in a podcast. Dr Lee has over 30 years’ experience in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and has held executive positions in Google, Microsoft and Apple.
I confess, this book raised major concerns for me about the level of change AI will have not only on blue-collar jobs but white-collar professions such as lawyers. This shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did.
IAP2 and IABC forums, have been raising awareness and more about the impact of AI on our profession, communications and public engagement. Within our industry we are probably the most agile workforce to take on the challenges of helping businesses and communities navigate AI and change, it’s in our DNA. Unfortunately, I think there’s still a perception out there that AI is further away than we think, when it is not.
I recommend this book to those seriously interested about AI’s influence on the future of health, work and education. Dr Lee manages to not only simplify technical ideas but helps explain the global political, economic and ethical ramifications into digestible parts. Some of his ideas are controversial, but the point he tries to make is that robust discussion at the highest levels of corporate, government and at grassroots, is still at its infancy, and that we need to urgently as a global community, set up universal frameworks for those that will be hardest hit.
This book had me thinking about what this new world order will look like for professionals to the most the most vulnerable especially the young, who will need to be constantly re-trained to adapt and be sustainable in such a marketplace.
The future is closer than we think, and the Jetsonian world to me, is a space ship (flying car) ride away.
I look forward to helping others transition towards this world successfully and sustainably.
If anyone has knowledge about interesting next generation technologies that are transforming the future of healthcare, work or education sectors please share or happy to chat offline, many thanks in advance!
Mary is a strategic business / community engagement and relationship management specialist.
