AI: A New Broom for Old Workers? Or How Not to Get Bored in the Age of Progress

Every time you ask a chatbot to find you a picture of a cat in a hat, it’s not just artificial intelligence straining somewhere in the world, but also a very real human being. Behind the façade of neural network omnipotence hides an invisible army: moderators, annotators, decoders, and other modern weavers of the digital tapestry, turning the chaos of data into the noble order of machine wisdom.

These people are the true ghosts of the digital age. They work so that virtual assistants don’t confuse “cat” with “pit,” answer questions without hysterics, and stoically endure your sense of humor. Their work is invisible but vital—at least until the machines finally decide they can handle things on their own.

However, as we know, progress is not lacking in ambition. Each new version of a neural network claims independence more boldly. Machines are already learning to distinguish sarcasm from rudeness, and pizza from the Mona Lisa. Will this multi-million-strong army of specialists find a new role in a world where their services are ever less in demand—or are they destined for the fate of switchboard operators: touching, but unnecessary?

Still, history shows: technology has a habit of inventing jobs even where it seems there’s nothing left to do. Perhaps soon we’ll all have to learn to distinguish “cat” from “pit” not only on the internet, but in real life too—just in case.