What Happens When We No Longer Have Independence?
Happy Independence (while you still have it) Day!
The Rise of Autonomous Lives
What happens when everything in our life becomes automated and “powered by AI”?
It started with factories and automated assembly lines replacing human workers with robotic arms.
Soon, fully autonomous companies run entirely by AI and optimized by AI will emerge. Shipping centers operated 24/7, managed by vast neural networks.
As self-driving trucks and delivery drones scale, the landscape will shift.
Humans are already becoming secondary participants in their own economy.
Offices emptied, layoffs, and the rise of human in the loop systems.
Universal Basic Income (UBI)
Advocates argue that, with automation displacing millions, society must guarantee a safety net rather than allow mass unemployment and poverty thanks to AI‑driven job loss.
AI as Therapists, Artists, Teachers, Oh My!
Creative and caring professions once considered “human-only,”.
Here’s a small list of jobs AI is set to take or is already replacing:
Admin & Office Support
Data Entry Clerk – Repetitive and pattern-based tasks are easily automated.
Receptionist – Chatbots and voice AI can handle scheduling and greeting duties.
Executive Assistant – AI tools can manage calendars, emails, and task organization.
Transcriptionist – Speech-to-text software now rivals human-level accuracy.
Customer Support Rep – AI chatbots and helpdesk tools handle most queries instantly.
Finance & Accounting
Bookkeeper – Real-time AI accounting and reporting tools are widely adopted.
Tax Preparer – Automated tax filing systems handle standard returns efficiently.
Insurance Underwriter – AI models assess risk faster and more objectively.
Financial Analyst (Junior) – Predictive AI models outperform junior analysts.
Claims Processor – Document scanning and verification are fully automatable.
Sales & Marketing
Telemarketer – Voice AI can cold call and follow scripts without fatigue.
Market Research Analyst – AI tracks trends, sentiment, and market shifts in real time.
Copywriter (Low-Skill) – LLMs generate persuasive and on-brand copy on demand.
SEO Specialist (Low-Skill) – AI audits, optimizes, and creates SEO content automatically.
Lead Qualifier – AI sorts and segments leads better and faster than humans.
Tech & IT
QA Tester – AI continuously tests code and identifies bugs faster than humans.
Junior Web Developer – LLMs generate and deploy basic web apps from prompts.
Tech Support Agent – AI can debug issues and answer technical questions instantly.
IT Helpdesk Agent – Scripts and AI workflows solve common IT problems.
Code Reviewer (Basic) – AI tools automatically suggest improvements and catch errors.
Manufacturing & Warehousing
Assembly Line Worker – Robotic arms handle repetitive manual tasks more efficiently.
Quality Inspector – Computer vision checks for defects with high precision.
Forklift Operator – Autonomous robots transport goods in modern warehouses.
Packager – AI-enabled machines sort, label, and package products.
Inventory Checker – AI systems with RFID tech track inventory in real time.
Transportation & Delivery
Truck Driver (Long Haul) – Self-driving trucks are already being tested.
Delivery Driver – Drones and bots handle last-mile deliveries.
Taxi/Uber Driver – Autonomous vehicles threaten human drivers over time.
Retail & Hospitality
Cashier – Self-checkout kiosks and computer vision eliminate need for cashiers.
Fast Food Worker – Robots can cook, prep, and assemble food with consistency.
Hotel Front Desk Clerk – AI chat and self-service kiosks are replacing reception staff.
Store Clerk – Smart shelves and automated restocking reduce demand for clerks.
Barista – Robotic coffee machines replicate barista-quality drinks.
Media & Content
News Reporter (Basic) – AI writes sports scores, finance updates, and summaries.
Proofreader – AI tools catch grammar and clarity issues instantly.
Video Editor (Simple Tasks) – AI trims, captions, and color-grades automatically.
Translator – LLMs and DeepL perform near-flawless translations.
Stock Photographer – AI generates high-quality generic images on demand.
Education
Online Tutor (Basic Subjects) – AI tutors adapt to students and provide 24/7 help.
Essay Grader – AI evaluates writing with consistent rubric-based feedback.
Test Proctor – AI watches for cheating behaviors via webcam and screen activity.
Curriculum Developer – AI creates customized learning paths and lesson plans.
Legal
Paralegal – AI can search case law, summarize, and draft legal documents.
Legal Secretary – Scheduling and document prep are easy to automate.
Contract Reviewer – AI identifies risks and inconsistencies quickly.
Compliance Analyst – AI monitors regulations and flags non-compliance.
Healthcare (Non-Clinical)
Medical Biller/Coder – AI extracts data and assigns medical codes faster.
Radiology Assistant – AI analyzes scans and identifies abnormalities with precision.
Health Records Clerk – Digital health systems automate data entry and filing.
Pharmacy Assistant – Machines can fill and verify prescriptions autonomously.
Creative Fields
Logo Designer (Low-End) – AI generates thousands of variations with prompts.
Music Producer (Generic Beats) – AI creates royalty-free beats and tracks.
Voice Actor (Generic Narration) – AI voices are nearly indistinguishable from human.
Children’s Book Illustrator – AI art tools illustrate from story prompts instantly.
And the list goes on…
Therapist – AI therapy bots like Woebot are gaining traction.
Music Teacher – AI gives real-time feedback on playing technique.
Personal Trainer – AI fitness apps provide tailored plans and track form.
Social Media Manager – Tools now plan, write, and post content automatically.
Grant Writer – AI can generate persuasive proposals based on prompts.
Individual Rights, Ethics, & Morals
Do we really need those to have a functioning society?
When AI makes decisions, who’s culpable? And can we trust machines to be fair?
They offer convenience, but critics (e.g., Dr. Susie Alegre, Roman Raczka) warned that real therapy depens on empathy and accountability.
They lack emotional nuance. Courts are already addressing harm as chatbots give dangerous advice.
Biased algorithms have deep social impact, discriminating in hiring, lending, policing.
Can we separate good bias from bad? And should we?
Who determines what is right and wrong?
For instance, should an AI prioritize at-risk patients over wealthier ones?
Human-in-the-loop designs are meant to safeguard fairness, but studies show machines embed biases at scale.
Meanwhile, there is debate over AI/robot rights:
Some argue AIs deserve “electronic personality” protections while others urge focus on human welfare.
If AI has rights, would it also bear legal responsibilities when it harms humans?
The First Kill
What happens if an autonomous machine kills someone?
As self-driving cars have already shown, AI accidents can be fatal, with tangled liability issues.
In war, lethal autonomous weapons might fire without a human in the loop, which raises the concern over legality, morality, and oversight.
Surveillance State
As AI grows, our rights shrink:
AI-powered cameras and voice recognition allow mass monitoring with algorithms flagging dissidents. Authoritarian governments are already deploying these systems.
Deepfake technology and hyper-targeted propaganda hook the narrative directly into readers subconscious.
What Does It Mean to Be Human in an AI World?
A world where:
Basic needs are met by UBI
Self-expression is created by algorithmic artists
Counseling is conducted by chatbots
Employment is optional
It becomes vital to ask: If work no longer defines us, is anything else left?
Some suggestions:
We gravitate toward purpose-driven roles like caregivers, mentors, creative collaborators where human limits become strengths.
We must insulate future systems from bias via regulation, ethics-first design, and transparency.
We need robot liability laws to determine who’s responsible for a bot’s mistakes. Is it the manufacturer, operator, or the AI itself?
What Do We Do?
Do we grant AI rights, or define them as tools we’re responsible for?
Can we codify “good bias” (e.g. protecting vulnerable populations) while eliminating harmful bias?
Do we deploy UBI and redefine citizenship, decoupling human dignity from paid labor?
Can oversight frameworks stop lethal autonomous systems and state surveillance?
The End As We Know It
So where does this leave us?
What will our role be in this story?
Will we lean into empathy, purpose, and justice or will we drift into passive dependency, run by some algorithmic code?
When life loses meaning, but the universe is ours, that leaves us with the question:
"What should we do next?
Something good, something bad?
A bit of both?"
Peter Quill (Star-Lord)