In the current age of technological advancement, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being utilized more and more in various different industries. Now, Google is implementing AI into Gmail on Android in the form of an AI-powered writing assistant. While this may seem like an exciting new development, I’m personally not thrilled about it.
One of the primary issues I have with the AI-powered writing assistant is that it is replacing real people. What I mean by this is that the AI is essentially taking away jobs from people who might previously have been hired to do the same kind of work that the writing assistant can now do. There is no doubt that this technology will be useful in some ways, but as someone who has been laid off in the past due to automation, I have a deep understanding of the devastating consequences this kind of technological advancement can have on individual lives.
Another problem I have with the AI-powered writing assistant is that it will likely have a number of flaws. While the AI software may be programmed to suggest better word choices and phrases, it’s impossible to predict what kind of errors it may make. This is a major source of concern, since errors in communication can lead to misunderstandings and create more work for everyone involved. Additionally, if this AI isn’t properly integrated into Gmail, it may be that users are bombarded with irrelevant suggestions which only serve to confuse them and not help them write better emails.
Finally, I’m concerned about the privacy implications of AI-powered writing assistants. Given Google’s history of privacy issues, it’s highly likely that this new feature will be yet another way for Google to access and monetize user data. This makes me very uncomfortable and I worry that this new feature will make it even more difficult for users to protect their data and keep their emails private.
All in all, while Google’s new AI-powered writing assistant may be a useful tool in certain cases, I’m personally not excited about it. The thought of a computer taking away jobs, making errors, and creating more opportunities for user data to be collected and monetized is truly upsetting. I hope that Google will take the feedback of people such as myself seriously and make any necessary changes before the launch of this new feature.
