Ardently defended by its supporters, attacked by its detractors, one thing is certain: AI, Artificial Intelligence, leaves no one indifferent. But who will benefit, or lose much, with the arrival of these revolutionary tools in Europe? A report by Julián López.
Today, almost three quarters of European employees have already been confronted with AI in practice. This makes it possible to develop new virtual reality tools, but also to help, for example, to transcribe medieval manuscripts or even to design autonomous vehicles or futuristic buildings.
However, its use raises concerns, particularly in schools and universities, but also in the world of work. Not to mention the artists, whose creativity is challenged by this field of possibilities with unknown contours.
Artist Renate Pittroff recently tried her hand at soliciting ideas from several generative AI tools for a cultural event, which took place along a canal in Vienna. The texts suggested by the AI were then read by the artists, then this staging was then the subject of an exhibition.
“AI is not only, and always, terrifying,” believes Renate Pittroff.
“It is frightening because of its potential to reshape reality as we have known it until now. It can be brilliant, but also very harmful. It is essential to make good use of it. Which is crucial, “It’s about people being fully aware of what they’re doing with artificial intelligence.”.
Caution which is also required in the robotics and virtual reality laboratories of TU Wien, the technical university of Vienna.
Researchers are relying heavily on artificial intelligence to develop robots designed, for example, to autonomously map the interior of inaccessible buildings, which could help save human lives during rescue operations.
“My mother used artificial intelligence to help her write letters, and she was 85 years old. But there is also a fear that people will lose their jobs, of course, and that artificial intelligence will take over All”, notes Hannes Kaufmann, professor of virtual and augmented reality at the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien).
“We also have to ask ourselves what it is for. What can it be used for? And how can we apply it? I would say we use it wisely. We ask ourselves in what circumstances does it make sense, how can it improve our work, but we don’t use it blindly. We want to understand what’s going on.
AI is already helping to create thousands of jobs
In Tallinn, a start-up has developed AI chatbots that allow large companies to contact thousands of suppliers simultaneously, negotiate and determine the most advantageous contracts. The start-up currently employs 100 people.
“Adapting to new technologies is a risk in business, and in your personal life, it’s taking a step you don’t know the outcome of. On the other hand, you have to ask yourself which is really riskier, to take the plunge or to stick to the status quo and do nothing”declared its CEO, Kaspar Korjus. But these large-scale changes can also cause difficulties for some.
One of the largest translation agencies in Estonia employs around forty people, both salaried and self-employed.
Here, it is not the specter of job loss that raises concerns, but rather the way in which AI is already reshaping working conditions.
“Today, tools translate much faster. We therefore expect translators to process more texts, more quickly. But since the machine does half the work, or even more, they are paid less, because they have to provide more work and receive less money. It’s also very frustrating. explains Marge Žordania, head of medical translations.
In a recent survey, nearly two in three people said they feared for their jobs due to the expansion of AI in Europe. It remains to be seen to what extent this new technology will have an impact in the professional sphere, whether for companies or their employees, in Europe.