In today’s society, technology is constantly evolving, with advances that hold the potential to disrupt the status quo of education, workplaces, and the economy as a whole. Artificial intelligence (AI) has burst onto the scene, rapidly expanding in both breadth and ability. Young people, often the most involved demographic when it comes to technology, are uniquely affected by this issue as we plan our lives and prepare to enter the workforce.
Youth are already seeing the effects of AI in the education system. Artificial intelligence poses a threat to academic integrity, with its tremendous ability to mimic human behaviour and produce work to exact specifications; this renders cheating in schools more streamlined than ever and with more individually tailored results. Furthermore, the overuse of AI programs can cause students to rely on it, hindering their ability to produce work independently. Despite these primarily negative repercussions thus far, AI holds the potential for positive effects, including helping students in research and organization, and creating more personalized teaching.
Yet, the effects of AI go beyond just education. In the workforce, it can be a double-edged sword, replacing workers in some fields, while also contributing to a booming tech industry that holds the opportunity for new career paths.
To adapt to this rapidly evolving landscape, it is critical for anyone, but particularly young people, to remain informed and consider the implications of technology when making choices regarding our futures. Despite the many concerns, youth may be ahead of the game when it comes to AI. Its prevalence in schools, as well as youth’s higher use of technology, leaves youth often more familiar with the workings of it, and better prepared for how it may affect our lives.
Still, the rapidly developing technology landscape requires vigilance to ensure that these new technologies are used as tools to support learning, rather than replace it. Moreover, AI adds a new dimension to choosing one’s life path, requiring youth to not only consider what career we may enjoy, or will financially support us, but whether that career will continue to exist at all.
Looking beyond the surface, however, these new concerns may not be so unique to youth. As technology has evolved, each generation has been forced to contend with the changes these advances have had on education, the economy and society. Ultimately, despite its potentially world-changing effects, artificial intelligence is but the latest step in a long string of innovations that, with proper adaptation, will leave our world a more advanced place.
