I’m a CTO. AI still needs your human expertise | Madhu Shashanka

AI is rapidly improving at certain tasks, but it lacks human judgment in many areas. Autonomous cars, for example, are safer than human drivers but still get parking tickets for basic tasks like avoiding disabled parking spots. This "jagged" nature of AI, where it's good at some things and bad at others, has implications for the future of work.

While people fear job losses, the bigger change will be the shift towards decision-making roles. AI excels when there's a clear right answer, but struggles when determining what constitutes a good outcome. This is where human expertise comes in. Business decisions often lack a clear right answer, requiring judgment informed by experience.

As AI advances, the need for people who can identify when AI is wrong becomes increasingly important. Companies that once automated quality control are now hiring veteran engineers to oversee the process and catch errors. The demand for judgment remains even as routine tasks are automated. Rather than destroying the path to developing judgment, it's essential to recognize its value and cultivate it deliberately.

Those with hard-earned expertise and real-world experience will remain valuable as AI continues to evolve.