Allison Pugh, a sociologist at Johns Hopkins University, is studying how artificial intelligence could reshape society, particularly if it replaces human interaction. She warns that the changes could have serious consequences and describes the incoming technology as an “AI tsunami.”
Pugh’s concerns include a future in which only an elite remains employed. The article introduces the debate with claims by technology executives, including Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, that AI could take over most office jobs within a few years, and asks whether a world without work would necessarily be desirable.
Still, Pugh says some experiences give her reason for hope. At a talk, one attendee described how her daughter had asked ChatGPT for advice but also turned to her mother because she knew her mother would not simply tell her what she wanted to hear. Pugh believes the economic value of human connection could eventually rise again.
Sources: Handelsblatt.