Technology is advancing, and some people are losing their jobs to Artificial Intelligence, but as kids, What does that mean for our futures? Students will be impacted if this continues. Journalist Maria Valero wrote, in an article titled “What is the impact of AI on Future Jobs” on Blog Workday, that 30% of traditional jobs are predicted to be automated by 2030. AI has been a very controversial topic because, on one hand, if you need help in Math or English, you can just ask ChatGPT. On the other hand, you are not learning anything. Every time you use AI, water consumption increases due to how much water is needed for cooling data centers. If you think that putting one question into ChatGPT won’t hurt, then you are wrong. According to The Environmental and Energy Study Institute, A larger data centers consume 5 million gallons per day and an average data chip manufacturing facility consumes about 10 million gallons of ultra pure water per day
That being said, people are starting to believe AI is changing the skills needed to succeed in a workplace. A lot of careers, like writers, and artists, are being affected. A local artist and teacher at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, Ryan Bubnis, has a lot to say on the issue. He says that as technology advances, he is starting to see the impact of companies, agencies, and brands choosing to use AI versus hiring human artists to create images. “It’s affected a lot of the different illustration and design markets, including publishing, packaging, brand collaborations, animation, and more,” When asked whether he believed AI was a positive or negative, he replied, “I believe generative AI is doing more harm than good. I can’t get over the fact that it steals from existing artists and image makers. There are no regulations, and artists can’t opt out of having their images used or borrowed.” He feels that, right now, AI is soulless, useless, and feels like it is being pushed on us. Ryan teaches a class called “How to Market Yourself as an Artist” and almost all of his students are against AI. It is a weird transitional time for them as they are trying to navigate what it means to be an artist right now. He says that artists and designers have always been underappreciated, and now, with the advancements of AI, it feels like it’s even more so.
AI is going to change certain careers and how people go about getting jobs. After talking to students in the community, it shows that they are all thinking about what that could mean for their futures. Lulu Gluth, a Sophomore at Roosevelt High School, says that Roosevelt as a school uses more AI than we realise for not only academics but also entertainment, like videos and music. Mabel Ellis, another Sophomore at Roosevelt, is strongly against AI and had a lot to say on the matter, “AI will put people out of jobs in the future. I don’t think it will happen in the creative field, because there is already such a strong reaction to AI generated art, but I definitely think some jobs in the service industry could be replaced by AI,” When asked if we are too dependent on AI, she said “I think our generation is becoming too dependent on AI, but I don’t think that will put people out of jobs. At the end of the day, real people are still smarter than whatever AI can come up with, and the people in my generation who actually care about pursuing a career that requires hard work and an education, will stay away from AI,” After being asked if she had noticed a change in the water she said she has not personally noticed AI affecting our water since there aren’t really any data centers in Portland. “However, I do think AI’s water usage is very serious, and can be really harmful to drought prone communities, which is why we need to do something about it,”
Ultimately, students need to be more environmentally focused and that starts with deleting Chat GPT and stopping the use of any AI overall. If people want to continue to have clean water and keep others employed then we need to get our priorities straight and realise that our planet is not worth the photo you generated for your TikTok.
