In the AI Era: Everyone is a CEO
Social platforms turn everyone into authors; Youtube turns amateurs into stars; GPT turns everyone into CEOs
ChatGPT has become popular, and people are amazed at the ability of AI. The global media and various industries are actively discussing the white-collar jobs that AI will replace in the future, and even the possibility of “eliminating” office workers, leaving most of them unable to find work and struggling to make a living.
I have experienced the power of GPT — translating an entire Chinese book to English in just a few hours with fluent and meaningful language, surpassing Google Translate. A friend described its accuracy as 99% and shared his experience in a blog post <ChatGPT vs Professional Translation: Comparable quality, 1000 times more efficient, and 1/100,000 the cost>
With the open-source code recommended by my friend, I learned from a programmer friend how to set up and run the program on my computer. Sitting in front of the screen, I was shocked to see AI “flash-translation” with lightning speed!”
“Microsoft has announced that within a few months, Office 365 will launch Copilot, an all-around assistant that incorporates AI into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other programs. Users only need to speak, and Copilot chatbot will draft documents and create graphics automatically, without requiring any action from the user. When GPT is able to write articles, my friend who is a content creator concerned about whether she will be forced to retire early.
In fact, those who should really worry about job security are CEOs and managers. They are a minority in society who complete work by giving oral orders and earn salaries far higher than most technical employees. A friend who is a startup CEO once said that the most important task of his day is to think and ensure that he does not interfere with the practical work of his colleagues. The scope of CEOs’ thinking includes identifying and defining problems, developing strategies and solutions, setting up various systems, improving resource efficiency, building company culture, setting goals for different stages, and managing personnel communication.
AI will change the game rules.
Most corporate executives have rich industry experience and work hard for many years to reach their positions. This is like the TV stars and hosts in the pre-YouTube era, who first attended actor training courses, then performed minor parts without dialogue or hosted children's shows, and struggled for many years before having the opportunity to take on a leading role. Along the way, they were squeezed by monopolistic TV companies and bullied by seniors. Various hardships seem to be the necessary path to success. It’s also similar to the era when there were only print newspapers and magazines. To become a columnist, one had to constantly submit articles and face many rejections. After all, space in print media is limited. Columnists have exposure and the right to speak, and will not easily give it up.
Indeed, YouTube has disrupted the old game rules in the entertainment industry. With YouTube, one does not need to go through traditional training programs or work in TV stations to become a host or a star. Individuals can plan their own content, film and upload their videos, and earn high returns. YouTube created many internet celebrities. Traditional TV hosts and actors, such as Sarah Song and Jason Chan, have even learned from amateurs and left their full-time jobs in TV stations to establish their YouTube channels, reportedly earning even higher income than before. As for those who have not fully transformed, they also need to adapt to the new game rules and learn how to create short videos and engage in live streaming sales.
Social media platforms have established new game rules. KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) no longer need to have columns in newspapers or magazines to express their opinions and gain exposure, as they can reach a global audience through social media. Political leaders and celebrities can share their views, and writers can publish their works without submitting them to newspapers or magazines for approval. They can simply post on Twitter and Facebook and interact with readers in real time. If authors solely rely on publishing their content in physical newspapers or magazines, they will undoubtedly have fewer readers than KOLs on social media platforms.
How will AI change the game rules?
Skilled white-collar workers are afraid of being replaced by AI in the future, as AI can handle most of their daily work. This fear reflects that they are not “CEO giving verbal commands (to complete works)” and do not have enough time for thinking, but rather for hands-on work. When they use verbal commands to direct AI to do their work, they will have more time to learn the CEO’s way of thinking. Currently, the top management of the pyramid will face a lot of competition, and working their way up from the bottom for years is no longer the formula for success.
AI has created shortcuts in various industries, and most people will benefit from them.
When everyone can use voice commands and spend most of their time thinking, naturally everyone is a CEO!
(This article was translated by ChatGPT)
