I got a new phone a few months ago. I didn't really need a new one, but since my work pays for my phone, I decided it might be a good idea to upgrade from my Google Pixel 8 Pro to the Google Pixel 10 Pro. The move was pretty smooth, and it's actually impressive how easy they have made the process these days compared to even five years ago when you would upgrade to a new phone.
As I was going through the setup, I came across a question from the new phone that kind of threw me for a loop. It was setting up the camera software, and it asked me if I wanted to turn on a feature where it takes several shots, and then uses the Gemini AI to merge those shots into the best version of the photograph.
It wasn't much of a decision for me, but I still had to pause a bit and think about the question it was asking me and the implications of whatever decision I made.
The fact is, AI is starting to touch every aspect of our lives, whether we like it or not. I work in the tech field, so I deal with a lot of different vendors. Specifically Software as a Service (SaaS) vendors. It's interesting how many of them have implemented some form of AI into their products. Of course, it's mostly just chat bots and LLM's that aggregate the data, so nothing super special, but it is amazing how "normies" latch onto that sort of thing.
I can't tell you how many meetings I have been in where non-technical people are presented the "AI features" of some product they are looking at and they basically say "take my money". Meanwhile the tech folks are showing a bit more restraint.
I recently upgraded our enterprise wireless system to a new vendor where I work. One of the big features they presented me with when we were looking at switching was their AI based chat feature. Supposedly it allows you to troubleshoot and analyze your network. It honestly had zero impact on why I selected that solution, but they seemed to be pretty geeked about it.
After over a year of using the system, I have used the AI feature exactly zero times.
Since we were new customers, we got the AI component and a steep discount, but I can safely say when it is time to renew, there is a 99% chance we won't include that piece.
As the title of this post suggests though, there is no escape. Things like this are going to become more and more common as people become more and more lazy and dependent on AI to do even the most menial of tasks.
Of course, I'm not one to talk. I did just create a tool for HIVE the other week using AI. Lest I sound like a hypocrite, I think there are some things that AI is going to be beneficial for. However, I also think that AI doesn't need to be included in every single product just so we can say it uses AI. Heaven knows it seems to work these days in getting people to fork over their money.
With all the controversy around water usage, and data centers, it makes me wonder if much of that could be appeased if businesses weren't trying to cram AI into every single thing imaginable. I'd much rather see a scalpel approach to the use of AI versus the shotgun approach we are seeing right now.
Worse still are probably the instances where you are using AI and you don't even realize it. I'm sure that happens to me on a daily basis. How many people do you think just mindlessly take photos with their phone not even realizing what is happening in the background. It's "automagic" to them that it just works.
"Look at this amazing photo I took"!
How about I look at the mediocre photo you took that AI then enhance to look like your work belongs on the cover of National Geographic. Is National Geographic even around anymore?
In the end, it probably doesn't really matter what I think or what I want. There seems to be no escape.
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