Let's set aside, for a moment, the new jobs AI might create and the potential for reskilling. People will be displaced. Nobody is shocked, of course.
But what should really hit home is his next point: that the real challenge will be finding meaning.
Our jobs have always been more than just paychecks. Before the Industrial Revolution, work was intertwined with personal identity. “Blacksmith” and “farmer” weren’t just job titles; they defined a person’s place in society. Then came the Industrial Revolution, shifting work to factories and making it less personal. Yet, work still provided purpose and interaction.
Now, with AI taking over more tasks, the traditional link between personal meaning and labor is being challenged. Jobs that once required human intellect and skill are being automated, leading to concerns not just about job displacement and economic instability, but also about losing a sense of purpose.
Manpower has long been the backbone of the Philippine economy, with sectors like services and manufacturing contributing significantly to our GDP. In 2023, the service sector alone pumped approximately P13 trillion into the economy. That’s not just a lot of money — it’s a lot of purpose and meaning for the Filipino workforce, which now face displacement by AI.
Policymakers emphasize skills training and human-AI collaboration, creating environments where humans can thrive alongside AI. Investing in education to adapt to new technologies is crucial. Yet, we need more creative approaches to find personal fulfillment in an AI-driven world.
Enter VR
Remember when virtual reality (VR) was the next big thing before AI stole the spotlight? Combining VR and AI creates immersive and personalized experiences, expanding our digital lives. VR offers profound opportunities for play and expansion of realities, crucial for finding new meaning.
When it comes to expanding realities and experiences, VR offers a unique and immersive medium. Books let us journey through different worlds and perspectives. Video games provide interactive environments where we can take on new roles and challenges. Abroad, medically assisted psychedelics can alter perceptions and offer profound personal insights.
VR combines these elements — immersing us in new worlds, offering interactivity, and potentially providing deep, transformative experiences.
Moreover, VR can facilitate new forms of community and social interaction. Virtual meetups and events can bring people together from around the world.
AI can enhance these interactions by managing virtual environments and improving communication through real-time translation and adaptive interfaces. Imagine attending a virtual concert with friends from different countries, or participating in a global hackathon where you collaborate regardless of location.
Assuming that VR becomes widely adopted and the price of quality VR technology decreases — much like the trajectory of cellular phones — VR has the potential to democratize experiences.
Traditionally, meaningful experiences like traveling, dining out, or attending events have required money, making them inaccessible to many. VR can change this by providing virtual access to these experiences, allowing a broader audience to enjoy activities that were previously out of reach.
Consider the possibilities: a young adult from a rural area in the Philippines, who might never have the chance to travel abroad, could explore the streets of Paris or visit the pyramids of Egypt from their living room.
However, the integration of VR and AI into our daily lives also raises some tricky legal questions. Issues like who owns your digital identity, how to protect privacy, and ensuring security in virtual spaces need addressing.
We need solid legal frameworks to protect users especially minors, and ensure fair use of virtual environments while fostering innovation. Intellectual property laws must adapt to new forms of creation and ownership, ensuring that creators' rights are protected and innovation is encouraged. Data protection laws must keep evolving to safeguard user privacy in these immersive environments.
The rise of AI and VR is a chance to rethink how we define ourselves and what we value as a society. By supporting creativity, community engagement, and diverse contributions through thoughtful legal frameworks, we can make sure that personal meaning and labor stay connected in a way that benefits everyone.
Embracing VR and AI thoughtfully can make sure that technology enhances rather than diminishes our humanity.
This is especially important in the Philippines, which heavily relies on manpower. As AI transforms the job landscape, many Filipino workers face the risk of displacement, leading to concerns about economic stability and personal fulfillment.
Embracing these technologies and thoughtfully integrating them into our lives can open up new avenues for connection, creativity, and exploration, ensuring that our search for meaning remains vibrant even as AI poses challenges to traditional notions of work and fulfillment.
Nikki Mendez is a corporate lawyer specializing in technology, including cloud computing, cybersecurity, privacy, and intelligent systems, guiding pivotal technology transactions and policy developments.
