Did you ever use Vinyl records? Cassette tapes? CDs? Mp3 players? How about mini discs?

Some technological advances stick longer than others but blink too long and you can end up left behind.

Does it not make sense to try embracing innovations?

Take e-commerce and online shopping for example.

Traditional brick-and-mortar retail stores have been struggling to compete with the convenience and accessibility of shopping online. Many retailers have had to adapt by developing their own online presence, offering delivery, or implementing other digital strategies in order to stay relevant.

Another example is the transportation industry, where ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft have disrupted the traditional taxi industry. Taxi companies have had to adapt by adopting similar technology and business models in order to compete.

As long as there are inventive people about, industries will be disrupted from time to time.

Now let’s address the elephant in the room: AI increasingly replacing human labour.

This shift is happening at a faster pace than ever before. I have personally seen automation cost manufacturing jobs, particularly in industries such as assembly line and automobile manufacturing.

With the advent of Large Language Models like Chat GPT, AI image creators and the like, AI is now poised to replace more jobs.

If history is anything to go by, Technology tends to win out. It’s the digital age, for better or worse.

We can try and stop it, but if there is money to be made, people will flock to the opportunity. I have seen and heard people planning to seriously capitalise on this AI wave. Trust me.

It was bound to happen. I could see it coming back in 2014 when I started this blog (watch my video about it). I welcomed it then, although I didn’t really know what form it would take. I’m both a little uneasy and excited about it now.

We need to stay informed and stay adaptable. This means being open to change how we do things in order to stay relevant and competitive.

With this in mind, I’ve been experimenting with AI. I must say that my mind has been blown so far. I’ve used it as researcher, translator, graphic designer, editor… It’s the ultimate virtual assistant.

Let me tell you a secret: my latest single’s art work is AI generated. Oh, and this post you are reading has been partially AI- generated too.

We can either lament that jobs are being replaced or use AI to crank up output. New opportunities will emerge for those who are ready to take advantage of them. It’s time to be creative. The sky is the limit.

Time will tell if this is the catalyst to another revolution. There is of course much to be discussed so we don’t end up outsourcing our humanity to AI and completely lose our way. But rather than waiting to see, I’d rather be one of the early adopters. It’s mostly free right now and I have just so many uses for it.

I would recommend that you research and experiment with it. It’s amazing, if only as a tool for inspiration. It has its limitations but it promises to get better and better.

In conclusion, technology is often winning out over traditional methods and practices, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be left behind. By staying informed, staying adaptable, and taking a proactive approach, you can stay competitive and even thrive in the face of technological change.

What do you think?

Reflect, Redefine, Rise!

R.