Chapter 1: The Impending AI Revolution

Is AI signaling the dawn of a new era or the twilight of our current way of life? Historical trends suggest that AI may come with significant social, emotional, and economic repercussions. Are the potential benefits worth these costs?

From the dawn of civilization, humanity has been driven by a desire to ease labor and increase efficiency. This inherent motivation, paired with our capacity to alter our environment, distinguishes us from other species. We often refer to this phenomenon as progress, attributing it to our intellect.

Early humans innovated with tools, transitioned to agriculture, and eventually embraced the wheel's invention, leading to the Industrial Revolution. This pivotal moment serves as a cautionary tale, marking our first steps toward a profit-oriented, rapid-paced society dominated by a select few billionaires and their corporations.

As production costs decreased and skilled craftsmanship became less essential, companies flourished, driven by entrepreneurial visionaries, often seen as neurodivergent. While this shift generated mass employment and made goods more accessible to the average person, it did so at the expense of quality. Few lamented the loss of artisanal craftsmanship, as handmade products became luxury items.

However, this so-called progress bore a dark side—widespread worker exploitation, including child labor, remains an issue in many regions. Moreover, the environmental toll of industrialization became apparent, laying the groundwork for today's climate crisis.

Even in 2024, amidst the conveniences of modern life, it remains debatable whether the benefits of industrial and technological advancements justify their global repercussions. The disparity in wealth distribution is staggering, and the planet's escalating temperatures are a dire warning sign.

Despite the risks, would we willingly revert to pre-industrial lifestyles? The consensus is a resounding no; life during those times was far more arduous.

In her stories, my grandmother often recounted her astonishment upon acquiring her first twin-tub washing machine in the 1950s. The convenience it provided was unparalleled, even as her family lived in tents while my grandfather constructed their home. He was no builder; he learned through reading and hands-on experience, which delayed their completion for years.

To wash her children's diapers—six in seven years due to the unavailability of birth control—she used a copper boiler, a device I imagined to be akin to a witch's cauldron.

"What's wrong with women these days?" she would quip when a granddaughter opted for disposable diapers. "Washing a nappy isn't difficult. You're just creating more waste!"

I, too, value convenience, having had two children close in age. The thought of hand-washing soiled clothes is unappealing, although I did share my newfound appreciation for my grandmother's past struggles with her.

"It was easier with the twin tub," she replied, reflecting on a time when families had to fetch water from wells and laboriously wash clothes by hand for an entire day.

My grandmother, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 84, witnessed the rise of the dot-com era. However, she never embraced technology, preferring to save rather than spend, adhering to her belief that a measured approach to finances would eliminate the need for credit cards.

She was a straightforward, assertive woman, adapting to technology as necessary, yet she critiqued its potential to foster laziness. It prompts reflection on how she would perceive the rapid evolution of AI.

As we advance in AI technology, we find ourselves at a crossroads. Should a person from 2024 be transported back to the Stone Age, they would likely struggle to adapt. While laundry would be a non-issue due to the absence of clothing, survival tasks like hunting, gathering, and building shelter would dominate their existence.

Modern conveniences have eroded fundamental survival skills, contributing to the popularity of shows like Survivor, which entertain us with their mix of strategy and social dynamics.

Some might argue, "We don't need those skills anymore, so why worry?" However, as machines take over manual labor, the human body has become increasingly sedentary. Recent statistics reveal that nearly two-thirds of Australian adults are classified as overweight or obese.

In this era, fitness has morphed into a lifestyle choice rather than a necessity. For many busy parents juggling work and family, finding time for exercise has become a luxury rather than a requirement.

Tech addiction is rampant, with mental health and physical well-being deteriorating. What skills will we sacrifice as AI continues to advance? More critically, what ripple effects will this have on humanity and our planet?

Since 2012, I have been a dedicated blogger in the children's craft niche. Although my site now generates semi-passive income, the initial setup required immense effort, making "passive income" a misleading term.

I design craft projects, take photographs, write articles, and keep up with trends like video creation and SEO—an overwhelming task that has led to periods of burnout. I once believed blogging would be a secure career that would sustain me into retirement, but I now realize that change, in the form of AI, is rapidly transforming the industry.

AI is reshaping the blogging landscape, threatening the livelihoods of those who have built careers through their creativity. As machines trained on human-generated content take over, the driving forces remain profit and the allure of ease.

I, too, utilize AI to keep pace, yet I harbor some resentment toward those who rely heavily on it for inspiration and creativity. While the advantages of AI are evident, many drawbacks remain to be fully understood.