Artificial Intelligence is everywhere and for many people, that brings about feelings of fear, doubt, and chaos. From social media influencers predicting the end of the human workforce to movies making AI the villain in a dystopian future (I’m looking at you, Terminator!), there’s a lot of misinformation out there.

Before I go off on a tangent here, let me just say, I don’t know everything. But, I have been a software engineer for 27 years, and I’m 3 classes shy of a degree in Artificial Intelligence, so I’ve seen at least some of the evolution of AI, and I can confidently say: AI is not what Hollywood wants you to believe it is.

AI Is Not Smart, Sentient, or Thinking

One of the biggest misconceptions is that AI is “smart” or has the “thinking” capability of a human. It’s not, and it doesn’t, at least, not the way you think. AI is just data and a program that makes predictions based on probability and algorithms. It is designed to mimic how a human would react or behave, which can make it seem like it’s thinking or capable of feelings, but no, that’s just what it’s been taught and what it can predict. It’s math, not magic, not life.

Think of AI like a really advanced autocomplete. You’ve probably seen a watered-down version of this when you type a message on your phone and it suggests the next word. That’s an AI model making predictions. ChatGPT and other AI tools work the same way, just on a much larger scale. Current AI does not have thoughts, feelings, or an agenda. It’s simply predicting the most likely response based on the data it has been trained on.

AI Has Been Around for Decades

AI is nothing new. It’s been around since the 1950s when pioneers like Alan Turing and John McCarthy laid the foundations for what we now call Artificial Intelligence. So why does it feel like AI just appeared out of nowhere? Because Generative AI (GenAI) and tools like ChatGPT have made AI popular, easily accessible, and very human-like. Before GenAI chatbots, AI was something only researchers and large tech companies had access to. Now, it’s in our hands, literally, in our smartphones and web browsers.

AI Is Not Going to “Take Over” or Become Alive

I blame Hollywood for this one. Movies like The Terminator, Ex Machina, and I, Robot have burned a scary picture into our brains that has many believing that AI is a self-aware entity with its own goals and ambitions. The reality? AI is not hoping to take over the world one day or have ambitions to find John Connor. It doesn’t “want” anything. It doesn’t “decide” to pick up the phone because it’s worried you might be missing it. It follows instructions and data given by humans and operates within the limits of its programming.

Even conversations with AI are just probabilities at work. Have you ever met someone in real life who is just saying what you want to hear? Well, AI is a lot like that. It predicts the most likely next word in a sentence based on historical encounters or instructions. It’s not “thinking” about what to say next. There’s no consciousness, no emotions, and definitely no evil plans to overthrow humanity.

AI Will Change Jobs, Finance, and Productivity

Now that you know what AI will not do, let’s talk about what AI actually will do. I believe that AI is set to transform industries in a huge way, much like the Industrial Revolution did.

Looking back at history, the Industrial Revolution was a scary time for people who couldn’t or wouldn’t embrace the new technology of industrialization. Many jobs were lost, but many more were created, which increased the demand for people to work, resulting in increased employment as well as overall wages being paid.

I see AI as our next Revolution, and it absolutely will change how we work, but it won’t replace all jobs without creating new ones. Instead, AI will automate repetitive tasks, improve our efficiency, and allow people to focus on more strategic, creative, and meaningful work.

Examples of AI’s Real Impact:

• Automation of repetitive tasks: AI can handle data entry, scheduling, and even customer support, freeing up time for people to do more valuable work.
• Enhancing creativity: AI tools assist in content creation, brainstorming, and design, but people still guide the process.
• Financial shifts: AI is changing stock market predictions, fraud detection, and personalized financial planning at a very fast rate.
• Medical advancements: AI aids in diagnosing diseases, analyzing medical images, and even predicting patient risks.

AI is a tool, and like any tool, its impact depends on how we use it.

The Future of AI

If there’s one thing to take away from this, it’s that AI isn’t something to fear, but something to understand. It’s not a threat to humanity, it’s the next step in technological evolution. Just like the printing press, electricity, and the Internet, AI will reshape industries and our daily lives.

The key to navigating this change? Education and adaptation. Instead of fearing AI, we should focus on learning how to use it effectively. Those who embrace AI will thrive, just like those who embraced computers and the internet in previous technological shifts.

Hollywood can keep making sci-fi thrillers, social media will keep spreading fear, and people will continue to fight the change, but in reality? AI is just math, probabilities, and algorithms and the real power lies in how we choose to use it. As for me, it’s already a daily part of my life and has allowed me to become a much more productive person in my work life, personal life, and day-to-day efforts of all types. So rather than fearing the unknown, let’s take control, embrace the possibilities, and make AI work for us because the future isn’t something to dread, it’s something to shape. And don’t worry, AI isn’t out here plotting a Skynet takeover… unless you start ignoring software updates, in which case, you might have bigger problems.