To learn AI or become a plumber: that is the question

We’re grappling with anxiety and excitement. Should we just vibe with AI to adapt, or are we better off learning real skills that AI won’t be able to replace in the near future?

As if we are short on predictions about what the era of superintelligence will look like, here are a few more opinions.

Billionaire American businessman and TV personality Mark Cuban believes that within the next three years, AI will be everywhere, leading to “an explosion of f2f engagement, events, and jobs.”

He posted this on Bluesky, starting a fruitful and lengthy discussion.

“AI is the kind of shit that turns people into Ted Kaczynski,” one user said under the post, referring to the infamous unabomber whose belief that technology disrupts societies led to three deaths and nearly two dozen injuries.

While this might be a bit of an exaggeration, it is a fact that people are growing increasingly uncomfortable with technology. We call them the XXIst century Luddites – consumers' backlash against AI.

One of our writers, Susan Morrow, is both a Luddite and a technologist. “It is a strange position to be in, as I love technology but also see the damage it does.”

Has technology gone too far? If the technology hasn’t gone too far already, it most certainly will. At least that’s the sentiment we are getting from Geoffrey Hinton, a British-Canadian computer scientist often called the godfather of AI.

“The problem with that is that it just requires one crazy guy with a grudge, one guy who knows a little bit of molecular biology, knows a lot about AI, and just wants to destroy the world. You can now create new viruses relatively cheaply using AI,” Hinton recently said.

The job market is already being disrupted, and it’s tough. Some layoffs, like the one Duolingo recently undertook, are abrupt and nasty, while other business decisions regarding AI, like Business Insider, seem more controlled.

But don’t mind how businesses do it – the bottom line is that they adapt fast. While many economists think AI will lead to a net job loss, it will certainly create some jobs, too.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a new partnership with US chipmaker Nvidia and others at London Tech Week to expand AI investment across the UK and train 7.5 million workers by 2030.

Elsewhere in Europe, Poland is taking the initiative to transform Central and Eastern Europe into a global hub for AI innovation. Under the newly unveiled five-pillar AI action plan, Europe is planning to establish over 1,000 fully funded AI fellowships, among other things.

“A new ‘Brain Circulation’ initiative should provide financial incentives for diaspora AI professionals to return and lead labs, startups, or public-sector projects,” the press release announcing the plan reads.

Meanwhile, the cybersecurity field is still struggling with talent. However, some requirements for candidates seem nothing but absurd.

If we were to believe Mr. Hinton, maybe it’s time to learn how to be a plumber.