A message to my daughters: Don’t get left behind

Many college students have been hearing warnings about artificial intelligence from their professors, with concerns ranging from the potential destruction of the college experience to the possibility of machine superiority over humanity. Some even claim that AI could bring about the end of life on Earth. However, this fear and uncertainty has led to a general distaste for commencement speakers who discuss AI, as if all the information they have received has created a singular perception that AI is malignant or dangerously unpredictable.

While I understand the concern, I believe that simply sitting back and allowing events to unfold could be a regrettable mistake. I work with autonomous robots, an exciting application of recent advancements in AI, and I have experienced the tradeoffs firsthand. Robots are not perfect; they often encounter challenges that they cannot overcome independently, such as colliding with glass walls. However, they also provide humans with the ability to engage in more fulfilling work.

Although robots may eventually replace certain jobs, history has shown that they also create new opportunities. Throughout the last century, major technological breakthroughs have sparked fears of job loss, but these have been followed by increased productivity and income, the creation of entirely new job categories, and sustained GDP growth.

When one considers that two hundred years ago most people were subsistence farmers, while today only 2% of Americans work in agriculture, it becomes clear that technology has brought about significant changes, without necessarily resulting in a negative outcome.

As an example, the number of professional and managerial jobs has risen from 5% in 1920 to 35% in 2024, with the overall number of jobs growing from 44 million in the U.S. to 167 million in 2024. Even though 90% of jobs were displaced during this period, the total number of jobs increased rapidly, and unemployment remained relatively stable.

As we look to the future, AI will likely bring about similar changes. Some jobs will disappear, most will be transformed, and many new jobs will emerge, including those that we can't even imagine today. This is a moment of great opportunity for young people starting out. Do not let hype or fear dictate your choices. Educate yourselves on AI, question it, and learn new ways to use it to solve important problems.

The future of AI is not something happening to us; it will be shaped by those who choose to participate. This is your chance to be part of creating something better than what came before.