Generative AI is everywhere. Anything you can imagine can now be generated using AI tools– images for posters, plans for businesses, even videos with premises wild that they go viral within days. Some estimates say that 71% of new social media posts utilize generative AI in some way or another. Considering how much time people spend online, this means that exposure to it has increased dramatically– and as what it generates grows more and more convincing, many are worried about how the rise of this technology will impact their careers.
An important distinction to draw in the criticism of generative AI comes from the words themselves– the term “generative” is crucial, as there are many types of artificial intelligence that existed far before our current crisis. The AI that allows an NPC (non-playable character) in a video game to decide its next action is not equivalent to the image and text generation that ChatGPT is capable of. Similarly, not all generative AI is equivalent. Defenders of the tool often cite articles about generative AI being used to find a cure for cancer and other noble deeds. I believe that those are types of fields where AI should be utilized, but it should also stay far away from our careers and our art.
In 2025, approximately 50,000 layoffs from companies like Microsoft and Amazon occurred due to AI, roles that were most likely data entry specialists or customer service representatives. Mega-companies attempting to spare every possible dollar see generative AI as a means to that end. Running prompts and feeding information to a machine comes out to be far cheaper than paying employees to do the jobs, and thus, we can expect that this trend will only continue to develop.
Art and graphic design are also vulnerable to a potential AI takeover. Canva, a popular website used to create posters and advertisements, has integrated a feature that allows easy generation of images. I remember trying this out back when AI was just a “cool” trick to perform, before we knew of the serious ramifications. The “art” that it created was lackluster at best– even though my prompt was simple, a small stand of pastel trees, it seemed to struggle to pinpoint exactly which patterns it was supposed to be following to create that image. Only a few years later, this image generation has improved to the point where it sometimes takes multiple sets of eyes and deep, logical thinking to differentiate real from AI.
AI writing is even more of a challenge to pry apart from human writing. There are a few potential “tells,” such as excessive use of “em” dashes and certain overused phrases, but none of this is definitive. Many students have been falsely accused of using AI just because their writing style lands under a certain checklist. The implications are grim– what does it mean for industries like journalism and creative writing if artificially generated work is just as cohesive as human work?
These fears do have some weight behind them. As companies aim for more and more profits, they may deem it reasonable to cut away artists entirely in favor of image generation. However, as has been seen in the amount of backlash given to the infamous Coca-Cola Christmas advertisement that was created using AI, many people are not ready to sit and tolerate the increased presence of the tool. This type of heat placed on companies can have significant weight when paired with loss of profit when people “vote with their dollar.” While we’re far from an entire Coca-Cola boycott, hope is not lost for actors or artists just yet, as the voice of the people still may have enough weight to sway the future away from complete AI domination.
Another thing that individuals can do to resist is simple, but effective– don’t use AI in any shape or form. Despite ChatGPT Plus costing users $20 a month, OpenAI’s investors are nearing a whopping $100,000,000,000 (100 billion) in debt, mostly due to the staggering infrastructure costs of running massive datacenters. This debt was amplified when OpenAI signed an agreement with the U.S military, allowing the military to use AI tools to strategize. The announcement led a mass of ChatGPT users to cancel their accounts and delete the app. It’s too early to see the actual impact this will have, but if it continues, these AI giants will be forced to adjust their strategy or potentially even lose the investors that are keeping them afloat.
Generative AI is a major cause for concern within students that are coming closer to entering the workforce. Threatened jobs include anything from computer science, graphic design, and even customer service jobs. A future where it’s impossible to speak to a real person while trying to book an appointment is not a future I’d like to be a part of– and thankfully, it’s not inevitable.
Recognizing the impacts of AI usage and the implications of its continued growth are the first steps towards ensuring that our careers are secure from its grasp. There are many things that AI will never be able to do, such as creating physical art with real soul, understanding human emotions, and soft skills like teamwork and communication. We are very adaptable creatures, whereas generative AI can only evolve so far. I believe that rejecting the siren song of AI and focusing on these human exclusive talents are responsible ways that we can fight back for the benefit of humans and the future of our careers.
WRITTEN BY: Daryan Cem, Empowerteen Editorials Journalism Intern
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