San Francisco-based OpenAI, an artificial intelligence (AI) company, has developed a technology that is said to have replaced a copywriter’s job. Copywriter Olivia Lipkin, who worked for a tech startup, was let go in April without any explanation. However, in the months leading up to her layoff, she noticed a decrease in the number of jobs assigned to her, and she started to be referred to as Olivia/ChatGPT by her superiors. ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that was introduced in November last year. Posts about how to use it started appearing on the startup’s internal Slack groups, leaving Lipkin feeling threatened and worried that she would lose her job. Shortly after she was let go, the company claimed that employing ChatGPT saved money compared to hiring a human writer.
Lipkin, who is now a full-time dog walker, did not think much of the introduction of ChatGPT at first. However, as its use increased, her job security gradually decreased. Unfortunately, she was not given any explanation as to why she was fired until after the fact. The fact that ChatGPT was used to replace her job made her feel undervalued and insignificant as a writer.
The incident highlights how AI is slowly but surely infiltrating different sectors and industries, taking over jobs and tasks that were once done by humans. While some may argue that this is inevitable progress, it is also a reminder of the implications of technology on human labor and the need for companies to prioritize ethical considerations as they integrate AI into their operations. AI may be able to perform tasks more efficiently, but it cannot replace the creativity, intuition, and empathy that come with human thought processes. As such, companies need to be mindful of how they use AI and ensure that they do not undermine the value of human workers.
