In today’s world, where technology is advancing at the speed of light, Generative AI or GenAI is a term that has gained popularity. It vows to make work easier, write content within minutes, and disrupt industries. But before jumping on the GenAI bandwagon, it’s worth hitting the pause button and asking: Should individuals depend on it so much?
The major problem with GenAI is that it lacks an authentic human aspect. In its work, it can publish text, create art, and even compose music. However, the result frequently appears to be somewhat sterile. This is because it lacks one of the defining characteristics of human beings: the soul. Originality can get lost with the algorithm; no matter how complex, the generated content will often seem regimented.
Hence, readers and audiences can notice that a machine has produced a particular thing, which might cause a gap. In the survey conducted by PwC, 59% of customers are willing to rely more on content created by humans than machines because feeling is a natural thing that AI cannot master.
GenAI algorithms work based on a huge amount of data, yet this data is biased. Finally, like all advanced AI software, GenAI can sometimes possess negative biases, including gender, racial, or cultural biases. This can lead to the spread of wrong information or the continuation of prejudices in society.
Research was conducted at MIT in 2018, and it was established that AI systems had an error rate of 34.4% for darker-skinned women and 0.8% for lighter-skinned men. This shows how skewed datasets can greatly affect the results generated by an AI tool.
The second important issue is privacy. GenAI systems are highly dependent on large data, and this data can be security-sensitive most of the time. When creating content or interacting with an AI system, a user may upload personal information and thus risk leaking it.
It is worth noting that McKinsey recently stated that 30% of companies still suffered some form of data loss as a result of using artificial intelligence tools. With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, the risk of exposing personal or confidential data is higher when relying on AI.
AI is changing the workplace, but at what cost? GenAI replaces tasks once people do them. Automation boosts efficiency, but it also threatens jobs. Writers, artists, and customer service roles are at risk.
The World Economic Forum says 85 million jobs may be lost due to AI by 2025. This could lead to unemployment, especially in creative industries.
AI can make mistakes, sometimes funny, sometimes serious. If individuals depend too much on GenAI, they lose critical thinking and creativity. Relying on AI too much can reduce thoughtful decision-making.
GenAI has its place, but it has limits. From ethics to job loss and overdependence, there are reasons to be cautious. While AI offers ease, human creativity and thinking are unmatched. Just because one can use AI doesn’t mean we should. Before using GenAI, weigh the risks—the human touch matters more than we think.