AI is both a useful tool and a terrible problem. It all depends on who is using it, how and for what.
AI can newer replace the work of an actual master. Someone who has precise knowledge of their craft and tools will always be able to outperform AI generated content no matter what field we are talking about. And for people like that AI is indeed just another useful tool in our tool belt. I should know, having spent decades in the software industry that is what it is for me.
I can honestly say that, as a software engineer, having AI at my disposal is like having a junior dev to do the boring parts for me while I do the stuff that is actually important.
The problem with AI and why is is so damaging is what it grants to those that are not power users.
Basically, no matter what you pick up the early stages of your work are always going to be slop. Plain and simple. Practicing your craft is how you learn and get better so that eventually you can go on to make things that are good. And you have to start from somewhere.
And the thing is, slop, or rather the sort of semi-slop you can create when you are just starting out but not a complete beginner can be good enough for a lot of situations. Random profile pictures for a forum, showelware smut for a flash game or code for a wordpress page does not have to be top notch senior grade engineering. Good enough is, after all, good enough. And some times that bar can be low.
And this is where AI becomes problematic.
AI allows people with very little skill to create large amounts of the sort of useful but not actually good semi-slop that is good enough for entry level tasks without having to work for it. In doing so, it harms both the individual and the overall profession they are in as well as the rest of the world.
The individual is harmed because, by relying on AI as opposed to practicing their craft, they are newer going to learn and advance. Making cheap sowelware smut or wordpress sites might pay the bills when you need some extra cash to get drunk in college but you really want to be able to do slightly more advanced things by the time you have to start paying for your mortgage. And if you only use AI and do not actually practice your craft you will get stuck in that bracket forever because you are doing without doing and therefore without learning.
For the general profession the problem is that the ease with which AI allows people to do these entry level tasks without any skill means that those who actually want to do things the right way and learn and advance by practicing their craft get drowned out of the market by the newer ending tide of forever-juniors and can't actually make a living while trying to advance to the next stage.
And for the rest of us. Well, frankly as much as I'd like to live forever we seniors are going to have to retire one day. And when that happens you better pray that there are enough true juniors out there that have not been getting by on AI alone to replace us.
