It is undeniable that we live in a different world right now. Technology and invention have changed the world in almost every field. Together, we face this transformation at a constant speed. Younger or older generations are all affected, but mostly the younger generation, considering that they are still going to live for many years later and must face more advanced technology in the years to come.
While the younger generation is introduced to the world of technology earlier in their life (building a sense of familiarity or nativeness), the older are in awe because of the new world they are facing. All of this modernity is all that the young know. Meanwhile, the elderly compare it with ‘the good old days’.
I remember someone had said, “The younger generation tends to talk about the future, and the older generation tends to talk about the past.” It is probably accurate. As someone who belongs to the younger generation, I do think about the future a lot of times. Well, probably as well as thinking about the past, but we are going to dismiss it for a while as we are going to talk about the future.
As you probably already know, there is a technology called AI that stands for Artificial Intelligence, yes, intelligence and it is artificial. The first time we heard about it, probably some of us were amazed or interested and curious. Everyone said that its greatness is mostly true. It can help us 24/7 with its great capabilities (even greater than humans could ever do). Plenty of people find it helpful to their advantage, especially the young.
Some the older people probably think how fortunate the younger generation is to be able to experience the conveniences early in life and, to be honest, they are not wrong. By having unlimited access, the younger generation has it all easy, unlike the older who had it differently.
The Pros and Cons of Using Artificial Intelligence for the Younger Generation
The younger generation can have many opportunities and access to fulfilling their capacity with the help of AI.
One of the most significant benefits of AI for the younger generation is personalized learning. Through AI, the younger generation can have limitless educational resources across the global network and have the ability to boost their learning potential.
AI can also decrease human error, which is not favored in both academic or professional fields, and increase efficiency among the younger generation.
Armed with AI knowledge and skills, the younger generation can help solve complicated problems in various fields. Young people with a deep awareness of AI’s capabilities can drive innovation in order to generate long-term solutions for a brighter future.
Despite all the appeals, it also hides some risks and cons.
The broad accessibility and convenience of AI have resulted in a growing dependence on technology among the younger generation. Tasks that used to be done manually or required critical thinking and problem-solving skills can now be done with the instant capabilities of AI.
This dependence may prevent the development of cognitive skills, which are essential for their ability to think, reason, learn, remember, solve problems, make decisions, and engage in various intellectual activities. This reliance may also limit the possibilities for younger people to develop emotional intelligence and soft skills, which are valuable in both personal and professional aspects.
Relying too much on AI technology may lead to a lack of resilience as well as adaptability in the face of unexpected challenges or unpredictable situations. When younger people become accustomed to AI dealing with a wide variety of tasks, they may find it difficult to adapt when AI systems are unavailable.
The Debate Surrounding the Use of Artificial Intelligence
The conversation about using AI is a complex and multifaceted subject to discuss, regardless of the pros and cons surrounding it. However, there are still proponents and critics expressing various viewpoints on this matter. In academic performance, AI can provide many benefits regarding unlimited sources or materials and improving writing skills which students often have difficulty with due to linguistic barriers. Despite being given the opportunity to improve student learning, there are still many who misuse it. Instead of using it as a reference or to revise their own work, they rely entirely on AI to do their work, considering the less time required to do it with the help of AI.
A lot of educators consider that using AI for academic purposes is a violation of academic integrity. Some may consider it unethical because the originality of students’ work is crucial for assessing their knowledge, comprehension, and critical thinking skills as well as providing a foundation for the development of those skills. However, some educators still consider learning aids to be generally acceptable as long as the source is cited.
Meanwhile, using AI in the professional field also sparks some pros and cons. Some of the benefits of AI in the work field include high levels of accuracy and reduces human error, instant automation of repetitive tasks and work that cannot be performed by normal human capacity, unbiased decision-making, and many more.
Despite the abundance of benefits, it also provoked disadvantages in society. As dependencies toward AI develop, it can lead to laziness and skills erosion in humans. Since AI can simultaneously complete tasks that would normally require numerous human workers, their implementation is expected to result in an increase in unemployment. The investment in AI may also cost a lot of money to advance and maintain its infrastructure. AI also cannot understand emotions, which is an essential aspect of some work fields. Although the advancement of AI can no longer be ignored, its lack of creativity and innovation still requires human involvement. Since the database of AI is the result of human programming.
AI cannot completely replace humans because it is incapable of some other aspects related to human nature such as wisdom, emotion, experience, learning, adaptability, etc. AI cannot perceive these aspects directly without a human touch.
Artificial intelligence has many advantages as well as disadvantages. Nevertheless, its impact on the modern world is undeniable. The debate surrounding AI revolves around finding a balance between the potential benefits and challenges it presents. It is critical to navigate these issues through informed discussion, responsible development, and thoughtful regulation to ensure AI is harnessed for the greater good while minimizing potential risks.
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Editor: Moch Aldy MA
