A Brave New World: Trends & Debates

 

By DAP Team

 

“Let us move for an AI that is shaped by all of humanity, for all of humanity.”
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres quoted from his speech, Great Power, Greater Responsibility at the AI Action Summit in France, 11 February 2025

This is the first time in history where humans will not be creating information. What does this mean for the world? Below are key trends and debates.

The End of Human History? 

  • AI is influencing our opinions. AI will have immense influence on our opinions and world views as more people use AI as a one-stop shop over Google, says philosopher Yoval Harari for the Economist. People will  gain news from AI, replacing traditional media and the advertiser. This means humans will no longer dominate the spread of information. Previous tools like the printing press and radio helped spread human views, now AI is going to spread AI generated ideas and culture.

  • DeepSeek’s cheaper model will bring AI to the world faster. DeepSeek launched a cheaper AI, this model is as good as those made by Google and OpenAI and have been produced at a fraction of the cost. For AI to transform society, it needs to be cheap, ubiquitous and out of the control of any one country or company. DeepSeek’s success suggests that such a world is possible.

  • A smarter AI is about to launch, and Silicon Valley experts are worried. A general-purpose A.I. system (A.G.I), will be released that will perform all cognitive tasks of humans. This means AI systems will be smarter than humans at almost everything. Silicon Valley experts building AI are worried at how fast it improves. They worry about the harms this technology is set to bring for humans.

Replacing Human Workforce, or Human-Machine Collaboration? 

  • AI-powered platforms replacing entire video, design and communications teams. Platforms like Runway ML and DALL-E empower creators to generate realistic images, videos and animations without requiring traditional design expertise. It is now possible for one person to create a short film and design products. 

  • About 41 percent of companies worldwide plan to reduce workforces by 2030 due to AI. This data is according to the World Economic Forum in 2025, they have found that jobs of secretaries and payroll clerks are experiencing fastest decline. AI is replacing coders, with coders only supervising AI.

  • There is expected to be a rise in ‘human-machine collaboration’.  AI could empower less specialized employees to perform range of expert tasks such as accounting clerks, nurses and teaching assistants. Technology could also equip highly specialized professionals such as engineers and doctors to solve complex problems more efficiently.

  • AI is making breakthroughs in health. AI-driven tools like IBM Watson Health assist medical professionals in diagnosing diseases quickly and early, and recommending specialized treatments with greater precision. 

The End of Creativity, or the Start of a New Movement?

  • The world's first AI powered humanoid robot artist sells at more than US$1 million. Ai-Da, a humanoid robot sold her work at Sotheby’s New York on 7 November 2024, it is the most valuable artwork ever sold by a robot artist.  These trends have posed several questions, why should AI’s art not be called art? What is the role of the human experience behind art?

  • Will musicians be played out by AI? Platforms like Spotify are using AI generated music to cut costs. The models used to train AI are using unlicensed datasets from the internet and music platforms, violating copyrights of millions of artists.

“In a decade perhaps everyone on earth will be capable of accomplishing more than the most impactful person can today.”
Sam Altman quoted from The Economist, How AI will Divide the Best from the Rest, 13 February 2025

Ai-Da with her paintings at a United Nations event in Geneva. Courtesy Ai-Da Robot Studios

“I don’t worry about individuals overpreparing for Artificial General Intelligence either. A bigger risk, I think, is that most people won’t realize that powerful AI is here until it’s staring them in the face — eliminating their job, ensnaring them in a scam, harming them or someone they love.”
Kevin Roose quoted from The New York Times, Why I’m Feeling the A.G.I., 14 March 2025

The Loss of Human Connection

  • Can machines ever replace human connection? There is now increased risk of social isolation, weakening of social skills and bonds as AI integrates into every aspect of life. Potentially positive AI solutions to help loneliness include loneliness robots for adults, and Woebot apps that offer mental health support. Results are mixed. 

The World is Not Ready for AI

  • Calls are being made to regulate, as of yesterday. As AI becomes more powerful, it is critical to have safety checks before AI tools are released in public. 

  • Reskilling is urgent. Workforce needs to be reskilled through government programs and within organisations. In addition, emotional support is also required for people whose skills will become entirely obsolete due to AI.  Finally, AI education in schools must be mandatory.

  • Address biased AI systems. AI systems are trained on data, and if that data reflects existing biases, the AI will perpetuate and even amplify those biases. This can lead to discriminatory outcomes in areas such as hiring, lending and criminal justice.