We Must Approach AI Like the Automobile

In the near future, I want you to learn how to ride this new horse of artificial intelligence (AI) rather than be left behind with the old one. Let me explain the revolutionary changes approaching our lives. 

Sam Altman, whom I consider the Steve Jobs of this generation, called me 18 months ago. He had met with President Biden about AI, and now he was calling me to help organize a meeting of key community leaders in Atlanta. Three days later, with the help of Dr. George French, President of Clark Atlanta University, we pulled off that meeting. What I learned there blew my mind—it was both exhilarating and frightening. One thing was clear: everything was about to change.

We are standing at the edge of a technological revolution with AI, on a scale not seen since America transitioned from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles in the early 20th century. Like that moment in history, AI is generating both excitement and fear—concerns about job displacement, societal disruption, and ethical dilemmas.

To navigate this new frontier, we must look to history, particularly the transition from the horse and buggy to the automobile between 1850 and 1910. This analogy offers valuable lessons for managing the challenges of AI and seizing its opportunities. 

When automobiles emerged, the world faced significant disruption. People feared the loss of jobs tied to horses, stables, and carriages. Yet, the automobile brought about new industries, jobs, and growth. The rise of oil and gas, automotive repair, and road infrastructure transformed society. Despite initial fears, the automobile sparked economic expansion.

Today, AI elicits similar fears of job loss. Automation and AI are reshaping industries and displacing workers. According to McKinsey, up to 375 million workers globally may need to change occupations by 2030. The change we once saw over 50 years is now happening in five or six. But as with the automobile, AI presents tremendous opportunities for new jobs and industries. 

We must approach AI like the automobile—recognizing its potential to transform industries and create opportunities. AI is a tool, not inherently good or bad. Its impact depends on how we use it. If we focus on enhancing human capabilities, we can turn uncertainty into opportunity.

Read More: The Promise and Peril of AI

New industries are already emerging around AI ethics, AI-driven healthcare, and environmental sustainability. Like the automobile, these fields will create jobs we haven’t even imagined yet. But realizing this potential requires equipping people with new skills through education and training.

AI also has the power to democratize access to information, education, and economic opportunities. For underserved communities, AI could be transformative. Personalized education powered by AI can adapt to individual learning needs, breaking barriers to quality education. In healthcare, AI can bridge gaps by enabling remote diagnoses and treatments, improving access to care for communities that traditionally lack resources.

However, to fully unlock AI’s potential, we must take a deliberate, inclusive approach. Education and training should go beyond traditional STEM fields, encompassing digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. We must also ensure AI development is ethical, prioritizing fairness, transparency, and accountability. 

As co-chair of the new AI Ethics Council with Sam Altman, and founder of Operation HOPE, I believe it’s our responsibility to ensure AI’s benefits are shared equitably. We need to prevent the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few tech giants. Instead, we should foster a diverse and inclusive AI ecosystem. This requires advocating for digital inclusion policies that provide underserved communities with the tools and resources to participate in the AI economy.

Just as horses were once the most valuable asset for a family in the 19th century but were economically obsolete by the 20th, we must embrace the new AI-driven economy. As Van Jones, also a member of the AI Ethics Council, says, “99% of Black people—and 99% of white people—have no real idea what AI is.” This is our chance for a level playing field, potentially bringing social justice through economic change. 

Public-private partnerships are crucial in making this vision a reality. Governments, businesses, and civil society must work together to create a regulatory framework that encourages innovation while safeguarding against risks. This means setting standards for data privacy, AI transparency, and accountability. We must also invest in research to understand the ethical implications of AI.

The transition from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles was challenging but ultimately led to a more prosperous and connected world. Similarly, AI presents risks but also extraordinary opportunities.  

AI and robotics will effectively zero out jobs requiring a high school education in basic retail customer service, like fast food restaurants, convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. And those with higher education, in accounting and say law, are also vulnerable to the powers of automation and general AI. You can see many of these changes happening right now, right in front of your very eyes.

Likewise, AI and robotics will make the doctor in a rural village in Kenya, Africa, a superstar life saver, possessing the same life saving tools, knowledge and real time problem solving and applications as the cutting edge team at Emory University in Atlanta. 

And then there are the entirely new jobs and skills areas that will be created – from AI maintenance and oversight roles, to AI assisted content creators, fashion and experience designers, where human creativity flourishes right along side AI tools, combining high tech with high tough.

By learning from history and approaching AI with inclusivity and responsibility, we can create jobs, uplift underserved communities, and build a future that benefits all of humanity. 

While concerns about AI are real, we must not lose sight of its tremendous potential. Like the automobile revolution, AI has the power to drive economic growth and social progress. But this requires optimism, foresight, and a commitment to ensuring its benefits are shared by all. Let’s seize this moment to shape a future where technology serves as a force for good, empowering individuals and creating new opportunities.