The Selfish Case for Learning AI

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The Selfish Case for Learning AI

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

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October 31, 2025 at 12:00 am

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Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Selfish Case for Learning AI

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skeleton567 SSCertifiable Points: 5924 More actions · Answer 1

"OK, Google, give me a very good review of my business mentioning good phone service, very good friendly service people, prompt service and very reasonable price."

Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )

skeleton567 SSCertifiable Points: 5924 More actions · Answer 2

I just realized this morning that I was actually using AI 50 years ago (1974) when I wrote RPG and COBOL code to route human order pickers efficiently through a warehouse the size of two football fields by aisle, level and slot to gather goods for wholesale food orders and load them in efficient delivery sequence on 25-30 trucks daily.

And the first two years we used flat files and sorting!

This reply was modified 1 weeks, 5 days ago by skeleton567.

Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )

Eric M Russell SSC Guru Points: 125618 More actions · Answer 3

There is nothing "selfish" about learning new skills to enhance your job performance and avoid a layoff, especially when employers are actively engaged in layoffs and explicitly signaling that they want their employees to be AI literate.

"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 739567 More actions · Answer 4

I'd say it's definitely selfish to do things for yourself, but it's not a bad thing. Like anything, in moderation, it can be helpful.

The job market is certainly changing, and AI is impacting us, whether it's actually making anything better or not.

Eric M Russell SSC Guru Points: 125618 More actions · Answer 5

Steve,

I've gone back and re-read this editorial again, and I agree with the initial point about how executive management choosing to replace employees with AI can be seen as selfish, if the focus is purely based on cost savings and a performance bonus but with a reckless disregard for whether the initiative truly saves the company money and improves efficiency.

However, I'm not buying the assertion that employees learning AI (or leveling up their skills in general) is "selfishness" on the part of the employee. It's our job (as employees and also bread winners for our family) to adapt to the economic and technical landscape. At this point, it's more of a general philosophical argument, but: the way I see it, selfishness is when we take from others what doesn't rightfully belong to us, or when we choose not to pay into pay into a social contract that we have benefitted from.

Leveling up our technology skills is just a common sense chore that we do to benefit ourselves and others at the same time. I mean, it's even more altruistic than our daily diet and exercise routine.

"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho