AI Myth #1: AI is going to steal all of our jobs
Of all the AI myths commonly posited as fact, this may be the one that creates the greatest sense of anxiety. Hardworking people are justifiably concerned that something inhuman could take over the careers they've invested so much time, passion, and energy into. Fortunately, the idea of robots replacing the human workforce has been hugely exaggerated.
Though machines can certainly perform repetitive tasks like data entry, there are other qualities that a robot could never hope to mimic accurately. Jobs that involve genuine creativity or compassion will remain safe from AI replacement, as will jobs that require important decision-making. Teachers and therapists, for example, must have empathy that a robot can't provide.
Similarly, most people would never trust a machine to make the complex, high-risk choices that a politician makes. Ultimately, we must have a healthy wariness about AI intrusion. However, this doesn't mean we need to be downright fearful. As advanced as AI technology becomes, it will never be able to entirely replicate human thoughts, feelings, or behavior.
AI Myth #2: AI is brand new
When you hear people talk about AI, it's often in the context of modern invention. People view AI as a product of the twenty-first century, born in an age of cell phones and the Internet. In truth, artificial intelligence as a concept dates back decades. Reportedly, the term "artificial intelligence" was first used all the way back in 1956 when computer scientist John McCarthy hosted a workshop on the subject.
You may be shocked to hear that the first chatbot, Eliza, was produced in 1966. Invented by German scientist Joseph Weizenbaum, Eliza was less refined than the chatbots of today. However, it could pick up on keywords it was told and respond with open-ended, somewhat related questions.
Though primitive, Eliza is an example of AI existing far before it became so prevalent in our lives. The 1980s saw something of an AI revolution, with artificial intelligence gaining more popularity in scientific circles. The first driver-free car came to fruition in 1986, performing lane changes and even interacting with other vehicles.
These days, artificial intelligence seems to be capable of accomplishing just about anything. Chatbots and facial recognition software are two examples of modern AI, and they're only becoming more advanced. Though AI may seem to have sprung up out of the blue, its history actually runs deeper than many people realize.
AI Myth #3: All AI looks the same
When you think of AI, you may have a specific vision in mind. Whether it's an in-house robot maid, an all-powerful chatbot, or a machine taking over the world, a mixture of fiction and reality has informed your perception of what AI is. In actuality, AI can't be narrowed down to just one thing.
While the three examples listed above would undoubtedly constitute artificial intelligence, AI also has a vast number of other capabilities. At By the Pixel, our team knows how to equip a client's website with helpful AI-based functions. Far from intimidating, these features are usually simple and intuitive.
Websites are one example of how AI can be implemented, but countless more opportunities for AI products also exist. If you access your phone by allowing it to scan for facial recognition, then you are using an AI tool in your everyday life. Furthermore, navigation apps like Google Maps use AI to determine the best routes and observe upcoming traffic problems.
Whether or not you immediately identify it as such, there's a good chance you've used AI at some point in the last year. There's a significant chance that you've used it just today. AI is not a monolithic concept, and the products it generates are anything but uniform. Next time you use your phone, your computer, or another device, stop to think about the tasks it can perform. You'll likely find that AI is responsible for much of the technological innovation surrounding you.
AI Myth #4: AI has human intelligence
In the last few years, you’ve probably heard one or two conspiratorial claims about AI overtaking the human race. You may even be guilty of harboring those kinds of suspicions yourself.
Luckily for those who side-eye ChatGPT, AI isn’t gaining human intelligence any time soon. Just take a look at the name: artificial intelligence. AI may at times appear to possess almost human behaviors, but it’s ultimately merely an imitation.
Artificial intelligence differs from human intelligence in many ways. For one, humans have an impressive ability to learn things quickly. As anyone who’s quickly taken to a new job or hobby can tell you, skills and knowledge don’t always take long to perfect. Artificial intelligence is another story entirely. AI requires numerous examples in order to fully “understand” a concept. Sometimes millions (or even billions) of examples are needed.
As we touched on earlier, human intelligence also surpasses AI on another level. Unlike robots, humans have the remarkable gift of empathy. Empathy is what allows us to consider situations from an outside perspective and imagine what other people are feeling. Not even the sharpest AI tool can experience love, compassion, or kindness.
These distinctly human traits mean that people can make ethical decisions when they encounter a difficult issue. While AI can spit out solutions when we tell it a problem, only human beings can analyze complex moral dilemmas with the sensitivity they deserve. AI is at its best when it’s used to help humans, not to supplant them.
One way AI is used to support humans in business operations is by introducing it to a business's calendar system. Using calendar API integration, artificial intelligence can be utilized to book meetings. Calendar API integration surveys everyone's schedules and automatically finds a time slot ideal for each meeting attendee. This is one way AI maximizes convenience without attempting to fill a role best suited for a person.
In cases like AI calendar systems, human beings are still at the helm of creative production and weighty decision-making. AI just helps move minute tasks along more smoothly and quickly. For Solv, one of our clients in the healthcare industry, we built an interactive chatbot that allows patients to book urgent care appointments easily.
This is yet another scenario where human and artificial intelligences join forces to promote efficiency. AI tools are impressive, and they may be hugely advantageous for businesses, but don’t be fooled by those worried about the state of the human race. Human creativity, intuition, and morality still win out over even the greatest AI technology.
AI myth #5: AI is objective
Some people view AI as a completely neutral party—a robot, devoid of all emotion, that possesses no preconceived biases which could interfere with its thinking. While it’s true that AI technology lacks human feeling, the results that come from AI are not always rooted in concrete data alone.
AI platforms like ChatGPT receive information from publicly available databases like Wikipedia and government archives. This data is collected, cleaned up to accommodate various formats (like text, video, and images), transformed into structures that learning models can comprehend, and finally used to train AI platforms.
Because AI systems learn from humans, AI is sometimes influenced by human flaws. Biases and inaccuracies can slip into AI-generated content, obscuring the truth and spreading misinformation. This can be particularly harmful for those in marginalized communities, as a UNESCO study published in 2024 indicated that LLMs are often infected by racial stereotypes and homophobia.
This can also occur when there’s a lack of variety in the data that large language models receive. If training data only contains images of fair-skinned people, for example, an AI platform may fail to identify people with darker skin.
How can AI benefit my website?
No matter how any of us feel about Al, there's no denying its enormous potential for web development and beyond.
As we enter a new frontier of technology, businesses should remain open to AI technology. Artificial intelligence isn't something to fear or resent: it might just transform your business for the better.
