Public sentiment about artificial intelligence is visibly brighter than it was two years ago, even though some skepticism remains. Technology companies aren’t slowing down—OpenAI’s ChatGPT now boasts over 800 million active users every week, a testament to AI’s expanding role.
ChatGPT’s surge highlights how large language models (LLMs) are now woven into business, education, and software development. It reminds us of ELIZA, the early chatbot developed at MIT by Joseph Weizenbaum, which pioneered human-computer interaction, albeit with its own cautious warnings about letting machines make decisions that mirror human judgment.
Films like The Terminator often paint AI with a dystopian brush, but White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks suggests a more relatable depiction—akin to the supportive AI systems seen in Star Trek: Enterprise.
A McKinsey survey reveals that 78% of companies worldwide have woven AI into their operations. Yet, even as this integration spurs innovation, it also reshapes job markets. In fact, some roles within the AI sector are evolving—Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei even mentions a trend towards ‘vibe coding’, an approach that makes programming more interactive.
The growing use of AI in software development is prompting a relook at how work gets done; as Gregory Allen from the Wadhwani AI centre notes, tech executives have long been adept at automating tasks rather than entire jobs. Companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are already adjusting, with Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg predicting that up to half of its development work might soon be AI-driven.
Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, emphasises the need for businesses to continuously adapt—balancing the rise of new roles while phasing out those that no longer fit. Even though the job market is shifting, many experts foresee a rebound marked by boosted productivity, a surge in startups, and fresh employment opportunities.
