How will the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) become the most powerful 'bulldozer' of the next generation? What impact will it have on 'non-contact work'?

The World Is FlatArtificial IntelligenceFuture of WorkAutomationDigital TransformationNon-Contact Economy
Created At: 8/15/2025Updated At: 8/17/2025
Answer (1)

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Alright, let's chat about this fascinating topic. The metaphor comparing AI to a "bulldozer" is remarkably apt.

How will the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) become the most powerful "bulldozer" of the next generation? What impact will it have on "contactless work"?

This is an excellent and very vivid question. Traditionally, the "bulldozers" we referred to were globalization and the internet, which flattened geographical barriers and made the world flat. Now, AI—this new "bulldozer"—is here. It’s more powerful, leveling not geography, but the boundaries of our intellectual labor.

Why is AI considered the strongest "bulldozer" of the next generation?

Traditional bulldozers level land to prepare for new buildings. The AI bulldozer levels the old foundations of industries and skills, paving the way for entirely new work models and societal structures. It "constructs" primarily in three ways:

  1. Leveling the "old houses" of repetitive intellectual work

    • Past: Machines of the industrial era replaced repetitive physical labor, like assembly line workers.
    • Present: AI replaces repetitive intellectual labor. Think of jobs involving large volumes of information processing, fixed formats, and discernible patterns: basic accounting reconciliation, standardized customer service inquiries, junior programmers writing template code, legal assistants finding specific clauses in massive documents... These tasks are like "old bungalows" in the knowledge realm. The AI bulldozer can flatten and clear them instantly because it works faster, more accurately, and tirelessly compared to humans.

  2. Compacting the new foundation of "skill acquisition"

    • A bulldozer doesn't just demolish; it also compacts uneven ground, providing everyone with a more level starting point. That's what AI is doing.
    • For example: Before, building a website or app required years of programming study. Now, if you have a good idea, you just need to articulate your needs to an AI, and it can generate most of the code. Someone without design skills can use AI to generate beautiful images and logos. Someone not fluent in English can use AI for real-time, fluent translation and writing.
    • AI dramatically lowers the barrier to technology and creativity, making "professional skills" no longer exclusive to a privileged few. It compacts the ground, allowing more people with ideas but lacking technical skills to participate in creation. This embodies the "World is Flat" concept at the level of individual capability.

  3. Spurring the construction of new "creative and human-centric" buildings

    • Once the foundation is leveled and compacted, it's time to build new structures, right? What are these new structures? They are the work that AI cannot do or cannot do well.
    • AI excels at logic, calculation, and imitation, but it lacks genuine empathy, complex strategic decision-making capacity, cross-domain creativity, and deep humanistic understanding.
    • Therefore, the most valuable "new buildings" of the future will be:
      • Those who ask the right questions: Knowing what to command AI to do.
      • People with unique aesthetics and creativity: Able to guide AI to generate unique works instead of formulaic imitations.
      • Individuals capable of deep human connection: Like therapists, empathetic doctors, and leaders who inspire team enthusiasm.
      • Complex strategists: Capable of making big-picture judgments, not merely analyzing data.

What exactly is its impact on "contactless work"?

This might be the most paradigm-shifting insight. During the pandemic, many viewed "contactless work" (i.e., remote or online work) as the future’s safe haven. Ironically, AI, this bulldozer, is primarily targeting this very type of work!

Why? Because the essence of "contactless work" is processing digital information via screens and networks. And processing digital information is precisely AI's forte.

Its impact is mainly seen in these areas:

  1. Work Role: From "Executor" to "Commander + Inspector"

    • Instead of writing a market analysis report yourself (execution), your job now involves telling the AI what kind of report you need (command), then reviewing, revising, and optimizing its draft (inspection).
    • Programmers are no longer "code workers" who type line-by-line, but "architects" who specify the desired functionality to the AI, then integrate and test the AI-generated code.
    • Designers may no longer draw stroke by stroke themselves but become "creative directors" who generate dozens of options via AI descriptions, then select, combine, and refine them.
    • Your value shifts from "how much you do" to "how well you think," "how accurately you guide," and "how sound your judgment is."

  2. Work Model: Shifting from "Fixed Roles" to "Task-based Work"

    • When AI can efficiently handle many tasks, companies might not need a full-time "Data Analyst" role. When data analysis is needed, they'll directly use AI tools or temporarily hire someone proficient with AI to complete the "task."
    • This will lead to work becoming more "gig-based" and "project-oriented." Job security will no longer come from your "position" but from your proven "ability to solve problems." This introduces uncertainty for individuals but also offers greater freedom.

  3. Competitive Landscape: Ruthless Squeeze on "Mediocrity"

    • This is the most brutal aspect. When AI can effortlessly reach a "passable" level (say, 60-70%), those who can only perform at a 75% level become highly vulnerable. Their slight edge crumbles against AI's efficiency and cost.
    • In the future, only two kinds of people will thrive: Top-tier experts performing at 95%+, whose creativity, depth, and insight are beyond AI's reach; and those who skillfully leverage AI to elevate their performance from, say, 75% to 90% through collaboration.
    • An "it's good enough" attitude will be fatal in the AI era. The bulldozer will relentlessly clear away anything simply "not good enough."

To summarize

The AI "bulldozer" isn't here to eradicate all work but to enforce a mandatory "urban renewal." It will:

  • Level intellectual work based on repetitive rules.
  • Compact the skill gap, lowering the barrier to innovation.
  • Compel us to build "new structures" that are more creative, more human-centered, and demand greater wisdom.

For ordinary people, instead of fearing the bulldozer, we should learn to operate it. Future competitiveness won't lie in what you know (since AI knows everything) but in your ability to apply knowledge, pose questions, integrate resources, collaborate with others, and think creatively.

This is indeed a challenging era, but also one where truly talented and innovative individuals can rise to prominence directly.

Created At: 08-15 04:11:00Updated At: 08-15 08:50:42