Table of Contents
In my previous article on AI guilt, I explored the broader anxieties surrounding our increasing reliance on artificial intelligence. This article delves into a specific aspect of that guilt: the fear of skill erosion. As we offload more and more cognitive tasks to AI, are we losing crucial abilities? Are we becoming overly reliant on these tools, sacrificing our own potential for growth and mastery? And how do we navigate the social and professional implications of relying on AI for tasks traditionally valued as markers of expertise? This article confronts these questions head-on, challenging conventional wisdom and exploring the evolving relationship between humans, skills, and artificial intelligence.
The ‘So What?’ of Skill Erosion
When we use AI to handle tasks traditionally requiring human effort, it’s natural to wonder if we’re losing something valuable in the process. If I let AI write my emails, will my own writing skills get rusty? If I rely on AI for every presentation, will my slide-designing prowess dull?
I believe the answer is, to some extent, yes. Over time, our reliance on any tool can lead to skill atrophy. This is not a new phenomenon—it has happened with every technological leap throughout history. But the more pressing question is: So what?
The core purpose of technological advancement is to improve our quality of life by automating tasks and freeing up time for more meaningful pursuits. Recall the farming analogy from the previous article on AI guilt: in the early days of agriculture, farmers pulled plows by hand—an exhausting, back-breaking process. The invention of the ox-drawn plow revolutionized farming, making it more efficient and less physically demanding.
Would it make sense for a farmer to refuse to use an ox because they wanted to retain the skill of pulling a plow themselves? Of course not. The ox was a tool—a powerful ally—that allowed farmers to focus on higher-level tasks like planning, managing, and improving their overall yield. Similarly, AI is our modern ox. It handles the heavy lifting of repetitive, mundane tasks, allowing us to focus on more strategic and creative endeavors. The whole reason we develop technology is to improve our quality of life. Fifty years ago, the majority of jobs in IT today simply didn’t exist—they couldn’t even be imagined! We create technology to liberate us, to free us to pursue bigger and better things, most of which we haven’t even discovered yet because we’re too busy with the tasks AI can now handle.
When I think about this “AI guilt,” I often consider the next generation, the kids growing up with this technology as a ubiquitous presence. There are skills AI is replacing today that fill me with a sense of unease, a feeling that we’re losing something valuable. But I suspect future generations will look back on these anxieties and wonder, “Why would anyone ever need to do that themselves?” It’s like when I was a kid, manual typewriters were on their way out, replaced by word processors. Could I operate a typewriter today? Maybe, but why would I? Technological progress has simply made that skill irrelevant outside of a specialized hobby. AI is doing the same for a whole new set of skills, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Beyond Augmentation: AI as Replacement
The popular narrative around AI often emphasizes its role as an ‘augmentation’ tool – a helpful assistant that works alongside humans. While this is certainly true in many cases, it feels like a convenient half-truth designed to soothe anxieties about job displacement. Let’s be blunt: AI isn’t just here to help us do things; it’s here to help us stop doing things. If AI can write that report better than I can, why should I bother writing it myself? If AI can analyze that data faster and more accurately, why should I spend hours poring over spreadsheets?
“Let’s be blunt: AI isn’t just here to help us do things; it’s here to help us stop doing things.”
Remember what teachers used to say? “You can’t use a calculator on the test because you won’t always have one in real life.” Well, here we are, carrying incredibly powerful calculators—smartphones connected to the sum total of human knowledge—in our pockets 24/7. AI is the next stage in this evolution.
The real potential of AI lies not in making us slightly more efficient, but in completely transforming how we work and live. Progress is not about doing the same things we did yesterday—it’s about eliminating unnecessary tasks and opening up new possibilities. So many of the things we do today, we simply will not do tomorrow. And as certain skills become less relevant, we’ll develop new ones—learning to leverage AI effectively, whatever that may look like at any given point in time. This shift isn’t just about automation; it’s about a fundamental change in what it means to be productive, skilled, and valuable.
The Evolving Role of Work (The PowerPoint Example)
Let’s take a common workplace task: creating PowerPoint presentations. Many of us have been there, in roles where it felt like our entire job was making PowerPoint slides—a sentiment often shared amongst colleagues, punctuated by the weary sigh of a thousand bullet points. Throughout my career, I’ve always tried to think in this way: how can I eliminate my job? How can I streamline, automate, and improve processes to the point where my role becomes unnecessary?
Imagine how this mindset intersects with the capabilities of AI. Initially, AI might assist with formatting and design, freeing us from the tedium of pixel-pushing. Then, it could generate content based on data inputs, saving us hours of research and writing. Eventually, AI could handle the entire process, from data analysis and insights to crafting compelling narratives and delivering polished presentations.
This raises a provocative question: if AI can do all of this, what role is left for us? What becomes of the analyst, the writer, the presenter? More importantly, if AI can analyze data, draw conclusions, and communicate those conclusions effectively, what role remains for those in leadership positions, the individuals traditionally responsible for making those decisions? Are we not just automating tasks, but potentially automating entire roles within the organizational hierarchy? This is where the implications of AI become truly transformative, forcing us to rethink not just how we work, but why.
The ‘You Use AI For That?’ Question
Here’s a scenario I believe will become increasingly common in the workplace: A colleague, perhaps even a manager, discovers you’ve used AI for a task—writing a report, creating a presentation, analyzing data—and responds with a thinly veiled disdain, “You use AI to do that?“
My response? “What, you don’t?“
This seemingly simple exchange reveals a profound shift in the workplace. It highlights the changing definition of “skill” and the emerging divide between those who embrace AI as a tool for empowerment and those who view it with suspicion. In the near future, refusing to leverage AI for tasks it can readily handle might be seen not as a sign of diligence or expertise, but as inefficiency, even incompetence. Why spend hours manually crafting a report when AI can generate a solid first draft in minutes, freeing you up for higher-level analysis and refinement? Why wrestle with complex data analysis when AI can identify patterns and insights far faster and more accurately?
The real question isn’t whether using AI is acceptable, but whether not using it is sustainable. In a competitive landscape where efficiency and innovation are paramount, clinging to outdated practices simply because they’re “traditional” is a losing strategy. This new world requires a new mindset, one that embraces AI not as a shortcut, but as a catalyst for progress.
“The real question isn’t whether using AI is acceptable, but whether not using it is sustainable.”
Addressing the Risks (and Opportunities)
Now, let’s be realistic. Blind faith in AI is dangerous. Over-reliance on any technology can have negative consequences. There’s the risk of becoming intellectually lazy, letting our critical thinking skills atrophy. Our brains might even rewire themselves, chasing the dopamine hits of effortless accomplishment rather than the deeper satisfaction of hard-won mastery.
Prematurely taking humans out of the loop is another serious concern. While AI can handle many tasks admirably, there are still situations requiring human judgment, intuition, and ethical considerations. And what about the societal impact? Widespread job displacement, increased inequality, and the erosion of human connection are all potential consequences of unchecked AI adoption.
However, alongside these risks lie incredible opportunities. AI can free us from drudgery, allowing us to focus on more meaningful work. It can create new roles we haven’t even imagined yet, roles requiring uniquely human skills like creativity, empathy, and complex problem-solving. By acknowledging and mitigating the risks while embracing the potential benefits, we can harness AI’s power to create a more fulfilling and equitable future.
The Accelerating Pace of Change
Here’s the thing about technological progress, especially in the field of IT: it’s not linear. It’s exponential. Ray Kurzweil called it the “Law of Accelerating Returns“: the more advanced technology becomes, the faster it advances. Think of a snowball rolling downhill, gathering momentum and size as it goes.
Information technology is unique in this regard. Unlike other fields, advancements in IT are used to create further advancements within the field itself. We’re now using AI models to design better AI models, creating a feedback loop of continuous improvement. This compounding effect, similar to compound interest, fuels an unprecedented rate of change. For decades, Moore’s Law held true, predicting that computing power would double roughly every two years. Today, that pace has accelerated dramatically, with some estimates suggesting a doubling every six months. Moore’s Law, once a reliable benchmark, has effectively been superseded by the Law of Accelerating Returns.
“…advancements in IT are used to create further advancements within the field itself. We’re now using AI models to design better AI models, creating a feedback loop of continuous improvement.”
This accelerating pace has profound implications for the future of work and the skills we need to thrive. What we consider essential today might be obsolete tomorrow. The ability to adapt, to learn new skills, to embrace change—these are the qualities that will define success in the age of AI. We can’t cling to the past; we have to be willing to evolve, to let go of outdated notions of work and embrace the unknown.
Conclusion: Shaping the Future with AI
The guilt we feel about potential skill erosion in the age of AI is understandable. It’s natural to feel anxious when the ground beneath us is shifting. But we shouldn’t let this guilt paralyze us. The future of work is not about clinging to outdated skills; it’s about embracing change, continuous learning, and adapting to new possibilities.
So, let’s ask ourselves not “What skills am I losing?” but “What new opportunities are emerging?” What can we create, what can we achieve, when we’re freed from the mundane and empowered by AI? Perhaps, in the grand scheme of things, the guilt we feel today will seem insignificant tomorrow, overshadowed by the transformative impact AI will have on society as a whole. The future is not something to be feared; it’s something to be shaped. Let’s shape it together.
Note: AI tools supported the brainstorming, drafting, and refinement of this article.
Jacob is a seasoned IT professional with 20+ years of experience and a proven track record of driving business value in the financial services sector. His extensive expertise spans Business Analysis, Knowledge Management, and Solution Architecture. Skilled in UX/UI design and rapid prototyping, he leverages comprehensive experience with ServiceNow and ITSM competencies. Jacob’s passion for AI is reflected in his Azure AI Engineer Associate certification.
