Saint Lucia workers received a warning regarding the threat posed to their employment by Artificial Intelligence (AI) during the launch Thursday of CSA Week.
The launch occurred at the Sans Souci Headquarters of the Saint Lucia Civil Service Association (CSA).
Union President Cyprian Montrope noted that the future holds more challenges than in the past.
“The multi-national corporations are putting funds every day to make sure that we go back to the dark days,” the CSA President stated.
“It is slowly getting there, because some of the items you are seeing being implemented, though we enjoy it as called upliftment of life, it is also creating a detriment to the workers of the world, and in particular, Saint Lucia. And I speak to matters of Artificial Intelligence,” Montrope explained.
“When those matters come around, a lot of us will be displaced,” he warned.
“I don’t know that we would have the capacity to negotiate with robots. But we would have to prepare ourselves for that time,” Montrope told the CSA Week launch.
Last week, the Barbados-based Caribbean Employment Services Inc. raised similar concerns regarding Artificial Intelligence.
The organisation said it would be prudent for governments, businesses, organisations, and other decision-making bodies to take steps to protect formal jobs.
Artificial intelligence concerns computer-based systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intervention.
According to a BBC, in March, Goldman Sachs published a report showing that AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs.
However, some experts assert that fears of robots taking over human jobs might be exaggerated.
But businesses now already use virtual assistants and AI-powered chatbots to offer 24/7 customer service.
The chatbots use natural language processing to deliver relevant responses to consumer questions.
In addition, tools from Siri and Alexa, as well as Google Home and Cortana, use natural language processing and generators driven by Artificial Intelligence to return answers to questions.
I don’t believe you are accurate in your message montrope. AI is an evolution of science and technology which expand on human intelligence of how to develop and integrate development into our day today life. I am convinced that the wrong message are being propelled Into various media domains to foster people short sight mental thinking capacity. Because every dimensions of a system or process requires human intervention, and support regardless how you twist and turn it. Caribbean can be lease affected because we don’t develop squat to first think of it. If you are concerned about AI why not hire a shark or swin from one country to the next or go on a cliff and shout to the public rather than using a mic. The same resources you are using is part and parcel of AI. Stop the propoganda.
AI IS ALREADY IN ACTION, IN HOMES, RESTAURANTS, JOB SITES THERE ARE HERE TO STAY. THEY WILL REPLACE HUMANS EVENTUALLY.