The Ending of an Era: How AI is Redefining Our Legacy #57 #cong24 #legacy

Synopsis:

When we look back on this time, it will feel as transformative as the arrival of the internet. The tasks we grapple with in our work today may soon feel as antiquated as sending mailshots via post. But our legacy won’t just be about adapting to AI; it will be about how we shaped its impact.

Will we use AI to solve meaningful problems, unlock creativity, and deepen human connection? Or will we let fear hold us back from progress?

The tools may change, but the essence of work—creativity, connection, and innovation—remains timeless. As we approach this new era, the question isn’t just about how we’ll work—it’s about what we’ll leave behind.

What kind of legacy will you create in this AI-powered era?

Total Words

1,237

Reading Time in Minutes

5

Key Takeaways:

1. We Are at the End of a Work Era
The way we’ve worked for decades—manual processes, human-first systems, and intuition-driven decision-making—is giving way to a new era where AI is integral. Just as the internet revolutionised communication and productivity, AI is poised to redefine how work is done across industries.

2. AI is a Tool for Amplification, Not Replacement
AI isn’t here to replace human creativity or ingenuity; it’s here to amplify them. From automating repetitive tasks to uncovering insights faster, AI allows us to focus on high-value, strategic, and creative efforts.

3. Change is Uncomfortable but Necessary
Like previous technological leaps (e.g., email replacing post, cloud computing streamlining collaboration), the integration of AI into the workplace comes with challenges. However, embracing this evolution with curiosity and intention can unlock incredible opportunities.

4. This is a Pivotal Moment for Humanity’s Future
We are at an inflection point where the decisions we make about AI will shape the trajectory of work, society, and even human identity. Our legacy will be defined by how we balance innovation with intention, using AI to bridge gaps, foster inclusion, and create a better world for generations to come.

About Maryrose Lyons:

Maryrose Lyons is the Founder of the AI Institute.
Passionate about the intersection of humanity and technology, Maryrose is a vocal advocate for using AI as a force for good, empowering individuals and organisations to adapt, lead, and leave meaningful legacies in this transformative era.

Contacting Maryrose Lyons:

You can see connect with Maryrose on BlueSky and LinkedIn.

By Maryrose Lyons

The Ending of an Era: How AI is Redefining Our Legacy

Think back to the 1990s. If you wanted to run a marketing campaign, it meant designing a flyer, getting it printed, stuffing envelopes, and paying for postage—then waiting days or weeks to see any response. Today, you type out an email, hit send, and track real-time analytics within minutes. What once required a team days of effort can now be done solo in an afternoon.

That shift wasn’t just about speed or convenience; it completely transformed how we approach work. Now, we’re standing at the precipice of another revolution—one driven by AI. This moment isn’t just another technological shift; it’s the end of an era.

**The Evolution We’ve Lived Through**

Whether you’re in marketing, project management, or customer service, you’ve seen firsthand how work has evolved. Remember the days when scheduling a meeting required endless phone calls and calendar coordination? Now, tools like Calendly handle it in a few clicks.

Or think about data analysis before Excel and cloud computing. Teams relied on hours of manual calculations, prone to errors. Then the internet introduced tools that made global collaboration and data management second nature.

We didn’t just survive these changes; we adapted and thrived because of them. They freed us from the mundane and let us focus on creative, strategic thinking. The same is happening now with AI—but on an even more transformative scale.

**How AI Fits Into This Evolution**

Just as the internet redefined work in the early 2000s, AI is revolutionising nearly every task we do today.

Writing a report? Tools like ChatGPT draft polished versions in seconds.
Generating a design? AI platforms like DALL-E can create stunning visuals in moments.
Sorting customer data? Machine learning algorithms uncover trends faster and more accurately than ever.

AI isn’t just about doing tasks faster; it’s about doing them better. These tools enhance our work, allowing us to focus on the big ideas that truly move the needle. They’re not here to replace us—they’re here to make us better.

**AI as an Amplifier, Not a Replacement**

What’s exciting is that AI isn’t just about automating the old ways of working—it’s opening doors to entirely new opportunities:

Content creation: Entire marketing strategies, once requiring weeks of effort, can now be ideated, drafted, and optimised using AI-powered platforms.

Recruitment: AI tools don’t just match keywords; they identify candidates based on skills, values, and potential fit in ways even seasoned recruiters might miss.

Customer support: AI chatbots don’t just answer FAQs; they learn from interactions, offering smarter, more personalised responses over time.

Much like the internet transformed us into publishers, AI is making us collaborators with tools that think, learn, and create alongside us.

**Navigating the Challenges of Change**

Change, however, is never easy. When email first arrived, many feared it would depersonalise communication. Today, similar anxieties surround AI. Will machines take over our roles? What happens to our sense of purpose if AI can perform tasks we took pride in?

But this is where our real legacy takes shape. AI isn’t about removing the human touch—it’s about amplifying it. It lets marketers focus on crafting unforgettable campaigns rather than manually crunching numbers. It enables engineers to innovate instead of getting bogged down in repetitive debugging.

The real question isn’t whether AI will change work—it’s how we’ll use AI to transform it for the better.

**Building the Legacy of Tomorrow**

When we look back on this time, it will feel as transformative as the arrival of the internet. The tasks we grapple with today may soon feel as antiquated as sending marketing mailshots via post. But our legacy won’t just be about adapting to AI; it will be about how we shaped its impact.

We are standing at an inflection point for humanity, a moment when the decisions we make today will ripple into the future for generations to come. AI is not just another tool—it’s a force that could redefine what it means to work, collaborate, and create. Whether we use it to deepen human potential or allow it to widen gaps in equity and understanding will depend entirely on the choices we make right now.

This is a time to be bold, to embrace AI not with blind optimism, but with intention and care. It’s up to us to ensure that these technologies amplify creativity, solve meaningful problems, and serve as bridges rather than barriers. The way we integrate AI today will set the foundation for how societies thrive tomorrow.

Will we lean into this change, guiding it toward progress, inclusion, and shared success? Or will we leave it to chance, missing an opportunity to truly transform the way we live and work? The tools may evolve, but the heart of our legacy lies in how we rise to this challenge—with wisdom, courage, and an unwavering commitment to shaping a better world.

As we approach this new era, the question isn’t just about how we’ll work—it’s about who we’ll become.

What kind of legacy will you create at this crossroads for humanity?

November 18, 2024 2024 Legacy No comments yet

AI, Consciousness Expansion, and Subjective Control #38 #cong23 #reality

Synopsis:

The impact of artificial intelligence on our perception of reality, considering existential risks and ethical concerns.

William Burroughs’ views on reality, altered through psychedelics.

State media manipulation in various countries and how it impacts on some citizen’s reality.

Call to action is for discourse about the ethics involved in evolving digital realities.

Total Words

823

Reading Time in Minutes

3

Key Takeaways:

  1. AI could profoundly reshape our conceptions of reality if it achieves superhuman general intelligence. But we must pursue its development cautiously and ethically to avoid existential risks.
  2. Psychedelics and other techniques like meditation, ayahuasca, and AR/VR can reveal hidden depths of reality not perceivable through ordinary consciousness alone, according to thinkers like William Burroughs.
  3. We construct subjective realities through the structure of our consciousness. By expanding our perceptual modes, we can uncover new truths about the nature of reality.
  4. While we do not have absolute control, we can influence our experienced realities through intention, wisdom, and shaping both our inner and outer worlds.

About Maryrose Lyons:

I am a future focused digital operator.

A marketer and communicator, a UX designer, I have recently been enjoying considerable success helping people augment their skills using AI.

I am on a mission to help people to not get left behind.

I am excited to be back at Cong this year. I haven’t been in person since long before Covid. Can’t wait to see you all – meet new people – and have a holiday for my mind!

Contacting Maryrose Lyons:

Connect with me on LinkedIn:

By Maryrose Lyons

My research for this very interesting topic began with a book, immediately discarded for being too academic for my taste, then followed up with travelling in directions that interested me personally. I brought all of my thoughts together to Claude 2 (AI) and asked it to act like a Professor of Philosophy and ask me questions to help me get my thoughts down into some sort of coherent form.

A theme that will probably feature greatly in conversations about Reality is artificial intelligence. What happens to our perception of reality if AI achieves advanced general capabilities surpassing human intelligence? It could profoundly reshape our collective conception of reality in ways we can’t yet fully anticipate. While I’m all in on the benefits of AI, I’m also all in on the need to actively pursue the mitigation of existential risks. However, on this Saturday morning I feel quite despondent about our ability to do that. There is a genocide taking place in Palestine by the Israelis before our very eyes and we are doing nothing to condemn or stop it. How can we expect governments of the world and people to get together and respond in time to the threat posed to our reality?

A more enjoyable avenue of exploration for me was to dig deep into the writings of William Burroughs. His book “The Doors of Perception” dissolves the very notion of reality and speaks of how expanding modes of human perception can play a role in unveiling hidden dimensions of reality. Techniques like psychedelics and ayahuasca can temporarily dissolve the constructs of our normal consciousness, opening doors to deeper truths about the nature of existence, consciousness, and our place in the cosmos. I have engaged, I have seen for myself, and I believe everyone should have the opportunity to open their minds at least once!

Next I went to the control of reality, and the dark side of state manipulation of media. In places like Russia, North Korea, and China, restricting access to information and shaping narratives through propaganda controls citizens’ perceived reality in ways that support authoritarian aims. In places like USA, UK, Ireland, social media also presents a certain view of reality that supports other aims.

Finally I gave some thought to VR/AR and the role they might have in shaping reality now and in the future. More immersive AR/VR experiences may start displacing some physical/social activities where the virtual version offers clear advantages in convenience, customisation, or enjoyment. But a full replacement seems unlikely. Humans are biologically wired to need in-person interaction, touch, nature, etc. Our recent experiences during lockdowns have reaffirmed the intrinsic human need for in-person interactions and natural environments.

As a forward-thinking digital operator, I am deeply excited by the possibilities at the intersection of technology and consciousness. AI, undeniably, will play a significant role in shaping our reality.

The future remains unwritten, and it is our collective responsibility to approach it with care, precision, and an inclusive perspective.

In conclusion, our understanding of reality is constantly evolving, influenced by technological advancements, global events, and diverse cultural perspectives. As we navigate this ever-changing landscape, it is imperative to engage in thoughtful discourse at events such as this one, to consider diverse viewpoints, and to actively participate in shaping an ethical and balanced digital future.

Looking forward to meeting you all at Cong.

November 19, 2023 2023 Reality No comments yet

Average? Great? Or Extraordinary? #50 #cong18

Synopsis:

Average people talk about people.  Great people talk about people’s ideas.  Extraordinary people talk about ideas.  Which one are you?

4 Key Takeaways:

  1. Average people talk about people. Is this more or less since social media?
  2. Great people talk about people’s ideas. The Ted Talks demographic.
  3. Extraordinary people talk about ideas. Cong Central.
  4. Which one is you?

About Maryrose Lyons:

Maryrose Lyons is a passionate marketer and lover of social media. Unfailingly optimistic, she is the one to contact when you’re feeling down and you want solutions to your life’s cause.

Contacting Maryrose Lyons:

You can follow Maryrose Twitter and Instagram or connect with her on LinkedIn.

By Maryrose Lyons

My good friends Joan and Anu are great hosts. I love getting an invite to a gathering at their place. They are always tune-filled events with all sorts of eclectic people who just gel; where there is a buzz in the room as connections are made, laughs are had, and minds are often expanded.

It was at one of these events, a long time ago, that I first heard of this phrase about ideas, and it kind of stuck with me ever since. It was the first thing that came into my mind when I read this year’s theme for Congregation.

  • Average people talk about people.
  • Great people talk about people’s ideas.
  • Extraordinary people talk about ideas.

There is nothing wrong with being Average, so you long as you don’t realise you’re it! The rise of the Influencer has been fuelled by Average people – people who are more interested in watching and following other people’s lives. I felt terribly sad recently when a wedding organiser told me that she has a large number of brides-to-be who want a wedding just like the one she did for a well known celebrity influencer. Right down to the choice of napkins… isn’t that sad? That the one day you’re standing in front of your most loved ones, with your loved one, celebrating each other, that you are copying someone else’s style and taste, not making any of these decisions yourself?

I wonder if it was always like this?

Before Instagram, pre-YouTube, when there was no constant soundtrack of other people’s lives, were there in fact more Great people sitting around talking about other people’s ideas?

Did social media bring about the end of people’s ideas by pushing us to a mass viewing of other people’s lives? Or did TV do that decades before with soaps?

So the middle level of being great and talking about other people’s ideas – I imagine that is a smallish layer. It would get pretty boring talking about other people’s ideas for a long time and not really having any yourself. Surely you’d move on to the next level – or fall back into being Average. But while you’re there, you do have a role of sorts. To promote those ideas that you deem worthwhile. To be behind a push of ‘ideas worth spreading’ to borrow from TedTalks. It’s from those very TedTalks that inklings can turn into movements. Ideas that gain mass support can often in this place.

And so to the level of being Extraordinary! What a wonderful place – or maybe not?
Many of this year’s submissions contain health warnings about not spending too much time on ideas… not getting caught up in producing ideas with no outcomes… … the downsides of always idea generating.

So where would you rather be?

  • Part of the tribe of Watchers?
  • Part of the Great who are Pushers?
  • Or one of those magical idea creators …

You’re here. You’re reading this. Whether you agree or disagree, you are at least not watching reruns of “Love Island” and flicking through your instafeed. Congratulations! Don’t be afraid of it. Let’s have the crazy conversations, and see where it takes us.

November 6, 2018 2018 Ideas No comments yet