[imiric]

I think there will always be a demand for human knowledge workers. They might not push their respective fields forward in the same capacity as AI will be able to, but there will be a niche market for products and ideas authored entirely by humans. Programmers and mathematicians will actually be craftspeople, and communities will continue to exist around this. These will probably not be highly paid positions as they are today, and their products likely won't power mission-critical infrastructure. Some might pursue it simply as a hobby and for the mental exercise.

It wouldn't be much different from small artisan shops we have today in other industries. Mass production will always be more profitable, but there's a market for products built on smaller scales with care and quality in mind. Large companies that leverage AI black boxes won't have that attention to detail.

[vouaobrasil]

The problem with this is that most people will sense a reduced importance for themselves. Most people seem to think that with AI doing everything, we can just relax and do our hobbies. But that's just wishful thinking based on a culture of overworking: we overwork so we dream of a utopia where we don't work. But the opposite of overworking is a sense of complete irrelevance, which will in some sense be more problematic than everyone working too much.

Yes, a few people might find some meaning in a life where they are not that important, but most people need to feel important to others, and AI takes that away.

[imiric]

That's true. It's a problem that isn't discussed nearly enough.

This is partly why I think that the pace of AI development needs to slow down. We've had disruptive technologies in the past, and society eventually adapted when new jobs were created, but none of them had the potential to completely replace humans in most industries. None of them raised existential questions about our humanity, the value of human labor, our place in society, and the core pillars of economy, education, etc. And, crucially, none of them were developed in just a few years.

We need time to discuss these topics and prepare for the shift. But, of course, any mention of slowing down is met with criticism of regulations stifling innovation and profits, concern about losing a technological advantage over political opponents, etc., so this is unlikely to happen.

This century certainly won't be boring, so let's enjoy the ride, and hope that no major conflict pops off. Though with the way things are going, my hope is waning.

[vouaobrasil]

Well, I certainly agree with slowing things down. Time to discuss would be much better than nothing. As I tell many, I am glad I was born when I was, and not now. I cherish the time I had before anyone knew of the internet. Even though I am using it now, mostly to spread my ideas, I would gladly trade it for a world where it didn't exist.