Blog
What does AI mean for my future?
As a 16-year-old thinking about what comes next, it can sometimes feel like the world is changing faster than ever. Technology is evolving, new industries are emerging and AI is already influencing the way businesses work every day.
The future looks different – and that’s exciting
Every generation grows up with new technology that changes the way people work. Unlike previous generations, I’ll enter the workforce with AI already being part of everyday life. It has replaced some tasks, but it’s also created jobs that nobody could have imagined before. Twenty years ago, nobody was hiring Social Media Managers or Cloud Engineers. Today, those jobs are everywhere. Who’s to say the careers we’ll have in ten years even exist yet?
Let AI do the boring stuff
I’m pretty sure most people don’t dream about spending their day entering data into spreadsheets or organising meeting schedules. But thankfully AI is really good at repetitive tasks like that.
If technology can take care of some of the boring jobs, it could leave people with more time to do the things humans are actually great at, like being creative, solving problems, building relationships and coming up with new ideas.
I’d much rather spend my time thinking creatively than copying information between systems all day.
Human skills will still matter
One thing that doesn’t get talked about enough is what AI can’t do. It can’t genuinely understand how someone feels. It can’t build trust with a customer. It can’t motivate a team when things get difficult. And it definitely can’t replace the personality, creativity and humour that people bring to the workplace. As AI becomes more common, maybe those human skills could become even more valuable.
New careers are already appearing
When people think about AI, they often focus on jobs changing. What they don’t always think about is the number of new jobs being created. That means students today could end up working in industries that don’t event exist yet. For a generation that’s grown up around technology, that’s a pretty exciting prospect.
It’s not all easy
Of course, AI isn’t perfect. People will need training. Some jobs will change significantly. Businesses will need to invest in helping employees learn new skills and use new tools.
Change can be challenging. But throughout history, people have adapted to new technology time and time again. AI is just the latest chapter in that story.
Looking ahead
When I think about the future, I don’t see a world where robots have replaced everyone.
I see a world where technology helps people achieve more. AI can help us work faster, solve problems more efficiently and focus on the things that really matter. But people will still be the ones driving ideas, building relationships and making important decisions. And I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what comes next.
I had an amazing time completing my work experience at Select Technology. I loved being part of such a friendly team and learning about the world of marketing in IT and tech. Thank you for such a great two weeks!
Lucy, Marketing work experience student