One of the topics that stood out to me in Week 13 was the question, “Does artificial intelligence help or harm human relationships?” At first, one of my thoughts was that AI has few benefits in helping human relationships aside from a situation where an individual obtains proper advice from AI software. After the discussion, I realized that this possibility certainly doesn’t outweigh the negatives, specifically parasocial relationships between an individual and an AI character. This is an unhealthy coping mechanism that I’m sure several people have developed with the rise of AI “beings.”
The in-class “Futuristic Job Search” activity was also an enticing part of this week’s discourse. Thinking about the future of jobs is complicated because I don’t know if AI taking over specific jobs is positive or negative. This outcome can be disheartening for individuals who love their jobs and will likely be consumed by AI in 2050. However, this could also create a known job opportunity market that may aid the general public; only time will tell.
