Of course, the level of AI use will vary across industries, but should we really be promoting the idea that using AI can make hundreds of people redundant? It made me think about this a lot, and I had many conversations with others about this very topic on the day.
I completely agree that AI can help automate processes and operations, making life easier for staff and franchisees in our networks. However, I feel uncomfortable with the thought of AI replacing those staff entirely. One person I spoke to explained that people will simply find other jobs, that it’s more about displacing roles rather than eradicating them, but I’m not sure I share that view. It feels likely that we’re heading toward increased unemployment and, potentially, a higher benefits bill.
What I am happy about is that my sector cannot be replaced by AI (she says confidently!). Our face-to-face sessions are essential for children in their early years, as well as for the adults who attend. Parents, grandparents, nannies, and childminders all benefit from real human connection, and from experiencing these sessions with the children they bring. Moving to music isn’t just fun, it’s vital for a child’s social, emotional, and physical development. It also shapes their first positive experiences of being active, something no algorithm can truly replicate.
I often speak to my children about their career paths in light of AI’s rapid growth. What should they aim for that AI won’t replace in years to come? Can AI create a person capable of delivering therapy? Will it ever truly learn empathy? Can it offer a genuinely individual approach? Or will AI-generated performers and musicians dominate the future? Much of today’s music is already being created that way, so will the next generation care about artists as much as we do now, or will they simply enjoy the sound, regardless of whether the artist is real? For context, my children currently want to go into psychology and musical theatre!
So, when someone proudly announces that by utilising AI a business can replace hundreds of jobs with one automated system, I don’t feel comfortable promoting that. What are your thoughts, and how can we use AI ethically, ensuring that humans remain at the heart of what we do?
