In this thought-provoking podcast, UK-based AI agency experts Rob and Adam of Opace Digital tackle the burning question: "Will AI take my job?" As artificial intelligence reshapes industries worldwide, their brutally honest discussion offers refreshing candour for professionals concerned about their future.
The podcast explores the love-hate relationship many have with AI technologies, acknowledging both visceral resistance and pragmatic curiosity about its applications. This internal conflict reflects the tension many face when considering how to use AI at work ethically while preserving their job security.
Rob identifies two key concerns: unethically sourced training data and the business reality that AI offers cost-effective alternatives to human labour. "We're going to reach a point where from the perspective of a business, why hire an employee full time when you can just get a cheap and easy AI to perform the same task for next to nothing?"
Rather than rejecting AI outright, the experts advocate for adaptation: "Dabble with it. Work out what it's good at and what it's not. Find parts of your workflow that it can bolster." This practical approach positions professionals to "make yourself useful by knowing how best to utilise it to deliver better and faster results."
The podcast examines why people hate AI, suggesting that opposition often stems from emotional rather than logical responses: "It's like people are led with emotion these days, not logic... they just wanna jump on a bandwagon of being offended." Historical parallels are drawn to previous technological disruptions: "With this mentality, we'd still be riding horses rather than driving cars."
Is AI unethical? The conversation addresses contradictions in anti-AI arguments, noting that some who criticise AI simultaneously engage in behaviours that raise similar ethical questions about creator rights.
Throughout the episode, the inevitability of technological advancement emerges as a central theme: "You can't just stay static. Everything changes, and if you just stand around shaking a stick at what's happening, you're just gonna get left behind."
The podcast presents three approaches to AI integration: complete rejection, selective adoption, and full integration. For professionals concerned about whether AI will take their job, the middle path offers a compromise between ethical concerns and practical benefits.
As Rob concluded: "Whether we like it or not, the tech is here and here to stay, for better or worse." The most resilient strategy appears to be informed adaptation—learning to work with new technologies while maintaining the human elements that make work meaningful.
This podcast transcript has been adapted into a comprehensive article that preserves the authentic conversation while organising the insights into a structured format for those who prefer reading to listening.