the gap between rich and poor nations
The Battle Between Opportunity and Fear Whenever there is a powerful new technology entering society—whether it's electricity, the steam engine, or the internet—it always poses the same question: Will this replace jobs, or will it create new ones? With AI, the issue appears more acute because the teRead more
The Battle Between Opportunity and Fear
Whenever there is a powerful new technology entering society—whether it’s electricity, the steam engine, or the internet—it always poses the same question: Will this replace jobs, or will it create new ones? With AI, the issue appears more acute because the technology isn’t just about robots doing brute labor, but also about computer software doing things thought to be uniquely human—like writing, designing, interpreting data, or even making decisions.
Work Being Replaced—The Reality Check
- Artificial intelligence is actually replacing certain forms of work at a faster pace than most expected.
- Repetitive office tasks—data entry, calendaring, reporting—are increasingly automated.
- Customer service jobs are being done by AI chatbots that don’t need sleep.
- Creative sectors—content writing, image-making, video editing—are being shaken up because AI software can spit out drafts in seconds.
For most employees, it’s rug-pulling, not from under their feet, but from right out from under them. Contrary to the industrial revolution, where physical labor was forced out but “thinking” work wasn’t hurt, AI is entering both physical and mental space. That’s why the disruption is coming so abruptly and overwhelmingly.
Creating New Jobs—The Unseen Side
- And here’s the less apparent reality: AI is creating new types of work altogether.
- AI trainers and ethicists—individuals who train models to act responsibly.
- Prompt engineers and workflow designers—jobs that did not exist a few years ago.
- AI oversight and governance experts—assisting businesses and governments to ensure that AI is being used responsibly.
Hybrid careers—where an individual works side by side with AI, like doctors working in collaboration with AI to detect very subtle patterns in scans, or teachers working with AI to tailor their teaching.
Just as the internet developed careers we could not have envisioned in the 1990s (say, social media directors or app engineers), AI is developing industries still in their infancy.
The Timing Gap—Where the Pain Lies
- The issue isn’t whether AI will eventually balance job loss with job gains—both will happen—it’s the timing disparity.
- Jobs currently being lost are evaporating today.
- New positions that are being created need new capabilities that the majority of employees currently don’t possess.
- This makes for an uncomfortable period of transition during which some get left behind while others jump ahead. For instance, a factory worker whose position is taken over by machinery can’t overnight just turn into an ethicist for AIs without retraining. That retraining involves time, work, and capital that not everyone possesses.
Human Adaptability—The Real Advantage
History attests to humanity’s incredible ability to adapt. Every technological advancement has always ultimately led to a greater economy, greater range of occupations, and greater levels of living. The critical point has always been training and support mechanisms:
- Those nations that spent on retraining in previous revolutions were better positioned to make the jump.
- Those who accepted life-long learning survived while the rest became obsolete.
- AI isn’t something to be afraid of—it can be a very powerful ally if we go at it with curiosity rather than fear.
The Human Side of the Debate
It is easy to lose track of numbers, but the heart of this issue are real people—a call center agent worried about paying bills, a student wondering what profession to pursue, a parent worried about where their child will end up in life. The alarm is real because employment is not just about salary; it is about identity, self-worth, and purpose.
That is why how the society reacts is important. If AI adoption is accompanied by social safety nets, retraining programs, and smart regulation, it can elevate human beings to new levels. Without these, it threatens to exacerbate inequality and disillusionment.
So, Is AI Replacing Jobs Faster Than It Creates Them
Today, yes—replacement is driving creation. But it does not have to be doom. If we use AI as a means of augmenting human capacity rather than simply reducing costs, and if governments and businesses invest in individuals, the future is far better than today’s fears indicate.
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The Hope vs. The Fear Artificial intelligence has been called "the great equalizer" and "the great divider." On the one hand, it holds the potential to provide every individual with internet connection access to knowledge previously reserved for the elite—medical advice, legal advice, business planRead more
The Hope vs. The Fear
Artificial intelligence has been called “the great equalizer” and “the great divider.” On the one hand, it holds the potential to provide every individual with internet connection access to knowledge previously reserved for the elite—medical advice, legal advice, business planning, even high-end tutoring. On the other hand, creating and deploying these AI systems takes enormous data, capital, and computing power, resources in the possession of a few successful nations and firms.
So will AI close the gap or increase it? The answer is nuanced—because it will depend on how AI is designed, shared, and regulated.
How AI Could Level the Playing Field
Envision a physician at a rural clinic in Kenya using an AI assistant to diagnose illness without the need for pricey lab equipment. Or a Bangladeshi business with access to AI marketing strategies on par with those of multinational firms. Or a student at a village far from a city in India doing math with an AI tutor that adjusts their learning speed.
This way, AI can potentially bypass infrastructure deficits—just like mobile phones enabled developing countries to bypass the costly installation of landlines.
How AI Might Widen the Gap
The Transition Dilemma
And as with work, there is even an issue of timing here. Rich countries are leading the charge, and poor countries are trying to get into the game of bringing in AI. This disparity can have the possibility of creating new dependency—where poorer countries are depending upon AI systems they may not even own, just as many are presently depending upon drugs or technology brought in from abroad.
What May Make the Difference
The Human Element
To an individual in Silicon Valley, AI is a productivity tool. To a teacher in Nigeria, it might be the sole means of teaching in classes that have 60 students. To a farmer in Nepal, a weather forecast generated by AI may mean the difference between a profitable harvest and a whole season lost.
That’s why this isn’t just geopolitics—it’s whether technology will be for the many or the few.
So, Which Way Will It Go?
If things go on as they are, AI is going to exacerbate the gap in the short run because already wealthy countries and companies are racing far ahead. But with proper policies, collaborations, and open innovation, AI can turn out to be a great leveller, as mobile technology revolutionised the reach of communications.
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