Artificial Intelligence ... Or the thing that is taking away your job!

AI= Artificial Intelligence, an area of computer science that emphasizes the creation of intelligent machines that work and react like humans.

You must have heard the phrase ‘AI will take my job’ (or some variation of it). While I was employed in the tech job I always thought ‘Yes, this is going to happen. They will automate my work, and I will not be needed anymore.’ Heck, they made me automate the work I was doing! For some reason, every manager always got excited hearing ‘automation.’ I hated it, but I did it and got loads of time off. This was two years back when I wasn’t as wise as I am now.

As I enter 2019, I would like to modify the earlier statement slightly. ‘AI has already started taking over your job.’ If you have not already seen this, below is a video of an AI system that has been ‘hired’ by a Chinese news agency to read the news.

This concept cannot work in India. Unless I have an anchor who distorts the news or selectively airs the viewpoints that propagate his agenda, I won’t watch it. God forbid if I ever watch a news channel for news.

There are two schools of thought on AI. One is that AI is good, it helps save cost and time and makes things better. This is backed by Mark Zuckerberg, who himself acts like a robot running around in human flesh (watch his senate videos). The other school, supported by Elon Musk (who works tirelessly like a robot) and Stephen Hawking (let’s say he is half robot already), says that the AI will destroy humans and take over the planet. For the record I am on the Musk-Hawking side, partly because in case a robot uprising happens, I won’t be able to join the human revolution against the machines. I am too lazy for that.

Now if you thought this is going to be a balanced post looking at both school of thoughts, I am sorry. It is about an entirely different story. (Sorry about the massive build up)

AI has not just taken your job; it has now evolved so much that it is not going to let you have a job.

Yes, you read that right. AI is now taking interviews as well. Someone, somewhere thought that why not try automating the recruitment process. The HR department is so overworked (sarcasm intended) that interviewing candidates is a ‘routine’ activity that should be done by robots.

How it works is that a question comes up on your screen and you answer it looking at your own sweaty, nervous face the whole time. You know the encouraging smile that HR gives at times or the clues you look for on his face to see if he bought the bullshit you just said is gone. Instead of a human with years of experience judging people, there is computer code looking for clues in voice and video to decide whether you deserve to work at your dream company or not. Filled in with data from all past and current employees, I wonder why all the companies keep saying they want diversity in the workforce, you know people with different thinking. It seemed like the only point all companies were passionate about. God help their diversity if they are taking people with the traits that its employees already have (because that is what computer is trained to look for).

AI is being developed to reduce our work, I agree with that. I have benefited by it. But the rate at which everything is being done, we are not far away from becoming this guy: (that is the captain in Wall E, in case you are not aware, and I am judging you for that) 

I was going to have an opinion post and close it but two years at MBA program has taught me to use data to validate my opinion. So, I took a quick survey. The methodology was a question on Whatsapp, “What are your thoughts on AI becoming interviewers? Would you be comfortable being judged on a video recording for a job?”. Once my friends got over the initial doubts that I have not lost my mind and that I am not, in fact, high or drunk, and some schooling me that I should choose a better time to pose these questions than 1 AM, they came up with some decent insights. Most took the diplomatic route, “ it's not perfect but it is the future and here to stay,” but once the question came to them being judged, many flipped to a resounding “it's not fair.” Below graph captures the final results.

What does it mean? Well, my friends like the rest of the world are divided on it. We do not have a clear answer, but if this is indeed happening, we need to gear up and accept the change (or stay loyal to your job so that you don’t have to give another interview ever). In conclusion, the future is already here.  

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Feedback Appreciated!

PS: One friend did point out that my way of asking the question would introduce bias and people are more likely to say ‘No’ directly, but we will ignore him for the sake of keeping things simple and the fact that I want to prove my point.