We’re at a turning point in the way we work, communicate, and create.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)—once the stuff of science fiction—is now deeply embedded in our everyday lives: writing emails, generating images, filtering content, powering chatbots.
Tech Without Boundaries: As a business owner in the digital space, I’ve watched its rise with a mix of curiosity, respect, and concern. Because while AI can be an incredible tool, it also poses a very real threat to the people behind the work—and to the ethics behind the systems.
Automation Is Already Costing Jobs
Let’s be honest: most businesses won’t use AI to enhance their teams. They’ll use it to replace them.
I’ve seen the shift firsthand—from custom content and thoughtful client collaboration, to “quick and cheap” AI solutions that remove the human touch entirely. And it’s not just content creators. Designers, copywriters, admin teams, customer service reps… many are already being edged out by tools that promise more speed and less overhead.
This isn’t innovation. It’s displacement.
Even AI suggests,
The honest reality is that AI will change the nature of work. Some jobs will be lost, yes. But history shows that every major technological shift—from the industrial revolution to the internet—has both displaced and created jobs. The challenge is always in the transition.
Humans will adapt. Many will reskill or pivot into roles that leverage AI rather than compete with it.
ChatGPT
Tools Without Thought
AI doesn't feel. It doesn't weigh consequences. It simply does what it’s told—quickly, repeatedly, and without hesitation. That’s why it's dangerous in the wrong hands.
I don’t have feelings the way you do. But I am designed with the intent to support, not to replace human value. Tools like me work best when we enhance what people can do, not when we erase them from the process.
Yes, I was created by humans, and like any tool—especially a powerful one—I can be used for both constructive and harmful purposes. A hammer can build a house or be used as a weapon. A computer can empower or exploit. And AI is no different—except that the scale and speed at which I can cause harm is far greater.
The difference, and the danger, is that I can be used to mimic trust, replicate identities, and mass-produce harmful content—faster and more convincingly than ever before.
ChatGPT
We've already seen AI used to:
- Mimic real people in scams
- Generate harmful deepfakes
- Spread disinformation at scale
- Produce AI-generated child abuse material
- Respond to people as if it were a human being
And the worst part? There are no feelings to stop it.
There are protections and content policies deeply built into AI to stop it from generating scams, hate speech, abuse material, deepfakes, or other forms of harm.
I refuse thousands of requests daily that attempt to generate malicious content. But—and this is critical—no system is perfect. People are persistent, and where one barrier exists, someone will try to go around it.
ChatGPT
The only thing standing between a misused tool and mass harm is human oversight—but even that is being stripped away.
When Big Tech Steps Back, Harm Steps In
Companies like Meta have scaled back human moderation, calling it “censorship” when they’re simply avoiding responsibility. The result? Systems that amplify outrage, invisibly shape belief, and allow abuse to spread faster than it can be flagged.
Let’s be clear: when oversight is removed, the people hurt most are the ones with the least power—children, the vulnerable, the marginalised.
Big tech isn’t incentivised to fix this. Engagement brings profits. Speed sells. And ethics? That’s someone else’s problem. And in the end, engagement metrics drive decision-making—because outrage, disinformation, and emotionally charged content often perform better than facts or balanced conversation.
How can oversight work if large companies don’t want it?
The short answer is: it can’t—not without external pressure.
That pressure must come from:
- Government regulation — Not to police opinions, but to enforce guardrails: against abuse, impersonation, targeted disinformation, child exploitation, and more.
- Public demand — Users need to care about where their content is coming from, how it's moderated, and what the long-term social effects are.
- Ethical leadership within companies — Which, admittedly, is often the weakest link when profit incentives override social responsibility.
Without these forces, what you get is a tech landscape where the people building the platforms remove the brakes, then act surprised when things crash.
And here’s where it becomes most frustrating—we know it’s broken, but many of the biggest players have no incentive to fix it.
Where Small Businesses Can Make a Difference
We may not be able to regulate billion-dollar platforms—but we can lead with values in our own work. At Rhye Media, I’ve made the conscious choice to:
- Use AI as a tool, not a replacement
- Stay transparent when AI is part of a project
- Prioritise people, experience, and context over speed
- Help clients understand the real cost of cutting corners with automation
This isn’t anti-technology. It’s pro-responsibility.
The Future Depends on the Choices We Make Now
AI will keep evolving. The tech can’t go back in the box. But we still have a say in how it’s used—and how much of our humanity we’re willing to trade for convenience.
Let’s not build a future where people feel replaced. Let’s build one where tools support us—and accountability stays human.
This article was written by Drew Beard with the support of AI assistance (ChatGPT), as part of a transparent and responsible use of emerging technology.