Like everyone these days, I’m thinking a lot about AI. Sometimes I’m excited by it and other times I’m scared about what it means for the future.
But there’s always something to be scared about, and since focusing on the worst possible outcome doesn’t actually result in a positive outcome, I’d rather explore the ways that technology can make things better for people. The ways that technology enables what was previously impossible, or at least not cost-effective.
As an example, I worked for a bit on a digital app, Elevmi, that uses AI to help the caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s. They’re able to get answers day or night to their questions in a way that hasn’t been previously feasible.
The last time machines made things more complicated…
I am not a historian or economist, and this comparison is certainly not unique, but I keep thinking about the industrial revolution. Before then, lots of people made things by hand. After, machines run by people made most things. So it seems likely that this is what will happen with Gen AI. Some of the “making” — writing, designing, number crunching — will be done by a machine. (Run by a person?)
Continuing with the comparison to the industrial revolution, we went from things being made one-by-one to big batches. Handmade things have some definite benefits; I think many would argue that clothing, furniture and other everyday goods are higher quality when they were made by hand. But they were more expensive, and took a physical toll on those who made them.
Food made from scratch was healthier (see all of the recent research about the perils of ultraprocessed food) but was again more expensive and certainly more labor intensive. There’s a lot to be said that one of the reasons that women became more able to work outside the home is because of advances in the industrialization of our food sources.
With AI, some of the things that used to take us a lot of time to do one-by-one will be faster. The big question is what we will do with all those freed up resources. Among the challenges that AI brings, what to hard-to-solve challenges could AI free us up to focus on?
What new options could AI present?
Up until this point, I wrote this whole article without the help of AI, but solving the world’s challenges is a tall order so I asked my friend Claude.ai to help.
Here was my question: Which of humanity’s biggest challenges need more human focus, and how could AI free up that capacity?
Here was the answer:
Climate and Environmental Challenges
Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time, with shifting weather patterns threatening food production and rising sea levels increasing catastrophic flooding risks. The 15 biggest environmental problems of 2025 include climate change-induced disasters, biodiversity loss and plastic pollution – all requiring massive human coordination and innovation.
If AI handles routine data analysis, reporting, and administrative tasks, scientists and policymakers could focus more on:
- Developing breakthrough clean energy solutions
- Creating adaptive agriculture systems
- Designing sustainable urban planning
- Building international climate cooperation frameworks
Global Health Disparities
Around 10 million people in poorer countries die annually from illnesses that can be very cheaply prevented or managed, including malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV. With AI automating medical paperwork, drug manufacturing logistics, and basic diagnostics, healthcare workers could focus on:
- Direct patient care and treatment
- Community health education
- Developing treatments for neglected diseases
- Building healthcare infrastructure in underserved areas
Conflict Resolution and Peace Building
Wars in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and recent developments in Syria carry grave geopolitical and humanitarian consequences, while conflicts in countries like Myanmar exacerbate humanitarian needs. AI could handle translation, communication logistics, and data analysis, freeing diplomats and peacebuilders to focus on:
- Complex negotiation and relationship building
- Cultural bridge-building
- Post-conflict reconciliation programs
- Addressing root causes of conflicts
Economic Inequality and Development
The war in Ukraine, Israel-Hamas conflict, and humanitarian crises have caused economic shocks and stagnation across continents. With AI managing financial analysis and logistics, humans could concentrate on:
- Designing equitable economic systems
- Creating meaningful work opportunities
- Building social safety nets
- Fostering entrepreneurship in developing regions
What this could all mean
The impacts of machines on our world are and will continue to be complex, and I’m hopeful that just as mechanization freed humans from some physical drudgery, it could also enable us to tackle the complex societal challenges we face. These challenges will require empathy and moral reasoning, things that we could all use more time to focus on. The path ahead surely won’t be simple, but perhaps among the uncertainties lie opportunities to become more human in ways we can’t yet imagine.
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