Are You Going To Master AI or Are You Going To Let AI Master You
Wame Creative
These days, it seems like everybody and their uncle is worried about AI taking our jobs. And I get it it’s scary how quickly AI has advanced over these past few years. Since ChatGPT launched in 2023, people have been terrified of this idea.
But since then it’s gotten much scarier (I’m sure you know about Deepfake.ai and Invideo’s voice cloning feature).
But I’m here to clear up a few things and separate fact from fiction. Specifically in the freelance market since many people think doing business solo is too risky with AI taking over and all. So let’s dive into some of the common myths I hear regarding artificial intelligence and how it affects freelancers.
What Is (And Isn’t) Artificial Intelligence?
First, let’s figure out what is and isn’t artificial intelligence. AI is an automation system that spits out information and performs certain tasks like rapid fire. And while that’s super cool and all, that doesn’t make it “intelligent” as the name suggests. AI gets all it’s information from external sources on the internet that were written by…? You guessed it, HUMAN BEINGS!
AI creates systems that automate things for us so we can be more productive without having to invest more of our time and efforts. These machines are not intelligent. They are just fast. And remember, human beings are the ones who come up with and build these AI-powered systems, so really who’s more intelligent?
Let’s Debunk Some of The Rumours I’ve Been Hearing About Artificial Intelligence (Or Artificial Speed, I Should Say)
“AI will replace all freelancers because companies would rather invest in SaaS tools than a human professional.”
We’ll start off with one of the most common assumptions. As a freelance marketer, I’ve discovered dozens of marketing software that, in hindsight could replace me… if I allowed it. But that’s the thing, I’m not going to allow it to replace it. If I discover a software that can do my job better than me, I have 2 options:
Give up on my dreams and aspirations to pursue some other career that has no AI in it.
Use that software as a tool to set myself apart from my competitors.
If I’m a graphic designer and I put in my portfolio that I’m an expert in using a specific AI tool, like Midjourney for example, I’m placing myself in a position to get clients who maybe have never heard of it but are interested in my services because I seem to be so well-versed in the subject matter or I may attract the type of clients who are willing to outsource their graphic design process to a professional who doesn’t have to be taught how to use Midjourney, which is such a huge weight off their shoulders.
But if I give up instead… then that’s a HUGE missed opportunity.
“AI image generation tools are going to replace creatives”
I mean sure, AI art is cool but people who truly value art, don’t value it for the affordability. They value it for 1, the emotions and experiences people put into their artwork (mostly because it resonates with the buyer), and 2, its use cases in marketing.
When you’re a marketer, you have to do a ton of publishing/posting. But that means you have to be aware of copyright laws which prevent you from posting whatever you want from whichever source you want. Images are one of these things. That’s why businesses use AI-generated images just to stay on the safe side of copyright law.
AI images can also be use for inspiration, content creation and a replacement for those over-the-top stock photos that make me immediately click out of any website that has them.
“ChatGPT just gets me.”
Sorry, but that’s false. ChatGPT may know you really well because you spend a lot of your time asking it questions and maybe even being vulnerable with it…
But even with the human-sounding voice that sounds like it has a personality of its own, ChatGPT doesn’t “get you”. It only “gets” what you put in.
I personally have been using Perplexity AI instead of ChatGPT for most of 2024, so I haven’t used ChatGPT in a while. But after several months, I revisited ChatGPT and while it has improved drastically, it’s still just a robot. A robot that’s just really good at giving you information very quickly based on information it gets from the internet. Everything it tells you comes from human minds.
I feel like I need this drilled into everybody’s heads because even though some people treat ChatGPT as their best friend or romantic partner as a joke, they’re stilling becoming far too dependent on it. Some people haven’t even used Google in ages, relying solely on ChatGPT (and TikTok).
Jokes are funny, yes, but please stop being so hyper-reliant on ChatGPT. Especially since it never cites its sources so you can’t fact check if the information is correct or not.
“AI is too expensive. Only large companies can afford to invest in them.”
Wrong again!
Sure, there are certain AI tools that are only suitable for organisations with medium to large teams (AdCreative, for example). But you shouldn’t just shutdown an AI software just because it’s not free. I recommend AI tools to people all the time and I always find myself having to explain that if you have the means to invest, you need to do so.
I get it, you’re afraid of parting with your hard-earned money for a “maybe”. But isn’t that what being a business owner’s all about? Taking risks, being optimistic and learning from failures (as opposed to taking them as an excuse to never invest in your brand’s future again).
There are plenty of free AI tools you can use. You just have to take the time to search for them. But if you do come across one that could literally change your business for life and you know you’d have to make some uncomfortable sacrifices to get there, DO IT!
I won’t promise you won’t regret it (because it depends on multiple factors) but if you play your cards right, you’ll learn exactly what you needed to learn.
So do your research, invest whatever time or money you need to invest and make sure to look at reviews outside the platform (anyone can fake a review so check what people are saying off the website/platform).
“I don’t need skills. I got AI.”
You can’t see it but I’m face-palming right now.
If you think AI can make you lazy money, I can’t wait ‘til you learn your lesson. I feel like broken record having to repeat this all the time but AI is to be used as a tool to advance your skills, not replace them.
Like I mentioned earlier, if I find out about an AI tool that can do my job better than me, I’m not going to fear it, but rather I’m going to work with it as my assistant. If AI could do all the work itself without a human being putting in a prompt, THEN we’d be doomed. But for now, we’re good.
“There’s one AI tool out there somewhere that’s going to completely replace all my processes. That’s why I haven’t invested in any of these ones yet.”
I hate to break it to you but there’s no such thing as an AI soulmate.
You’re falling behind and nobody’s going to save you. If you haven’t invested in AI because you dream of some perfect tool that’s gonna automate everything for you without you having to lift a finger, you’ll be waiting a long time.
How about instead of waiting, you invest in some that can help you build your desired systems in the meantime. For examples, you can start watching videos on YouTube of how people use Make.com to automate processes for them when your dream AI system doesn’t exist.
Then some time in the future when you have the money to invest in something like that, you can start creating your own software. There’s an AI for everything these days, so there’s probably also an AI for people who want to build apps and software.
“Some time in the far FAR future, AI WILL replace most of our jobs.”
Look, I don’t know anything about the future but back in the 70s, 80s and 90s, people were saying we’d have flying cars by 2020.
They were wrong.
You might be wrong too. Or you could be right. Who knows. But are really going pass up so many opportunities to scale your business (or start it if you haven’t already) over an assumption? That’s like saying “I’m not gonna buy a car because it could get stolen.”
That sounds ridiculous. Get it together!
Conclusion
All I’m saying is, with the amount of excuses you’re making, you’re bound to end like those miserable 60-year-olds who spend most of their time complaining about stuff they can’t control (like the economy, inflation, kids these day etc).
You’re gonna look back at this year, one day, and wonder why you kept making excuses. AI is here. Between 2023 and 2024, it has changed so drastically already. If you haven’t invested yet, you’re falling behind. And the longer you wait, the harder it’s gonna be when you finally decide you’re ready. This is not a scare tactic, it’s a warning.
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Posted Nov 28, 2024
AI is taking over the market. But that doesn't mean it's going to take all jobs. The trick is to use it as a tool to advance your career, not replace your job.
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