AI, or artificial intelligence, is a computer system that mimics human intelligence. It uses data and models to find patterns and make predictions.
In recent years, AI has become an increasingly important part of our lives. We see videos online, especially on TikTok, that make us wonder whether what we are seeing is real. This leads me to question: Is AI actually good for us, or is it beginning to do more harm than good?
Loss of jobs
AI is gradually making its way into the workforce. It’s expanding rapidly and reshaping industries in a way we never thought possible. So what does it mean for the future of work?
Now, who here has a good-paying job? I do—I’m currently juggling a part-time job along with schoolwork. Even though I am managing, there are jobs out there that are highly at risk of being taken over by AI.
One of them is journalism. You would think something that is rooted in human connection and communication would be safe from automation, but there are signs that it’s happening. Imagine someone asking the following questions: “Why does journalism exist if half of what they say is opinionated or false?” or worse, “Just tell ChatGPT to create your article.” That is mind-boggling. As I sit here writing this article, I find myself uncertain about where our future is heading.
Lawyers
Unfortunately, journalism is not the only field facing disruption. Other jobs at risk include graphic design, paralegal work, and legal research. As AI advances, its ability to handle tasks like analyzing case law, drafting contracts, or even creating visual designs will become more refined.
When pursuing a career in law, working as a paralegal or doing legal research is the foundation of your career. These roles are essential for learning how to draft contracts, review cases, and prepare briefs. It is where you begin and work your way up. But AI is threatening to replace these entry roles, making it harder to gain the experience required to succeed.
While it may seem like a time-saver, future lawyers would lose the chance to develop critical analysis skills, courtroom experience, and judgment skills that come with hands-on experience. Without the foundation for the legal profession, advancing in the field will be harder, and the dependence on AI could undermine reliability.
Graphic designers
Similarly, graphic design is another field facing disruptions. We live in a digital age now, but there is a huge difference between creating something digital with a template and designing something original from the heart. AI tools can now generate logos, illustrations, and full website designs. They can replicate shapes and colors, but they cannot capture the emotions or deeper meaning that the designer wants to communicate.
Designers spend years learning how to convey messages with their art through color and composition. Yes, these are skills AI can imitate—but they cannot replicate the emotions of the artist. Young artists may struggle to find entry-level opportunities to grow, which will reduce the depth of human expression in the media.
If AI continues to replace too many jobs rapidly, people won’t have time to learn new skills. The only people who will benefit from this are those who are wealthy and tech-savvy, while everyone else gets left to fend for themselves.
Entertainment
Beyond traditional careers, AI influence has also deeply affected the entertainment industry. A lot of what we see now is falsified, and as someone who loves theater and acting, it makes me mad. Acting has always been about human connection—real emotions, real struggles, and stories being shared between performer and audience. That is why the existence of AI-generated actors is unsettling to me. A prime example of this is Tilly Norwood.
She first appeared earlier this year, in February, trying to pursue her acting career as a young-looking woman with wavy brown hair and clear skin. Her creator is Eline Van Der Velden, who is a producer, comedian, and entrepreneur. The idea of Tilly was to explore new possibilities for digital media, but I’d have to disagree with that. While it may sound innovative, that this idea is neither necessary or beneficial.
Digital media has been around for years, and actors have been doing an amazing job, delivering powerful and meaningful performances. That is something the industry has never lacked creative talent. Knowing that there are talent agents who want to sign Tilly, while actual working actors are against it, doesn’t sit right with me. Many actors have spoken out against this, and major Hollywood figures expressed anger and concern. This situation ties back to the writers’ and actors’ strike in Hollywood in 2023. Wages were already horrible, and labor disputes were bad enough—yet talent agents were okay with signing someone who isn’t even real?
All I have to say about Tilly is that we do not need the future generations to look up to someone who isn’t real. AI actors like Tilly are sending the wrong message. There is no real human connection from actor to audience; it’s all synthetic. No live experience, no emotional risk, no vulnerability—just a carefully programmed illusion.
Meanwhile, many aspiring actors still struggle to get their first big break to prove themselves. They go through a lot of training, auditions, and rejections. Yet they keep going because they love it. Replacing them with AI takes that opportunity away.
In the future, if the world is dominated by AI actors and musicians, we will lack imperfection and raw emotions that make us feel connected to one another. Just imagine a world where the laughter of an audience no longer feels authentic or music fails to evoke real human emotion.
Benefits?
Despite these concerns, it would be unfair to ignore the benefits of AI. It increases efficiency and productivity, streamlines recruitment, and enhances data analysis.
So where do we draw the line? For example, when retail and service jobs become automated, we are not only losing employment, but we are also losing the human connection that makes these industries thrive.
Brands like Hollister have shifted to using AI for trend analysis and data management. Hollister’s original branding was launched with a surfer-inspired, laid-back California theme. In the early 2000s, the interiors were dim and cool. However, since 2017, thanks to AI, the store has become much brighter, and the surfer vibe has been gradually removed. The brand is now targeted toward modern fashion trends and the newer generation. These changes are largely due to the rise of competition with other brands.
Furthermore, in the fast food industry, companies like Chipotle also use AI in the hiring process. When applying, applicants no longer follow the traditional process of submitting a resume for staff review. Instead, they interact with an AI chatbot called “Ava Cado,” which helps improve the hiring process. Interested candidates will answer the questions that Ava Cado asks while it collects the information and schedules interviews.
In the end
AI has changed the way we work, live, and learn. But that doesn’t mean we should turn a blind eye and let it replace us. In the workforce, it puts real jobs and career foundations at risk. While in the entertainment industry, it threatens to replace real human stories with artificial performances.
We owe it to ourselves and future generations to protect what makes us human. AI isn’t going anywhere, but if we allow it to replace our creativity, voices, and real opportunities, we risk creating a future where convenience matters more than humanity. That is a cost that we cannot afford.
