Hekayat YouTube: How AI will impact our lives and future of the workplace with Faisal Alsaif

What crosses your mind when someone talks about artificial intelligence? Is this new technology really smarter than the average person?

In the second and third episodes of Hekayat YouTube, Faisal Alsaif, YouTube creator and CEO of Tech Pills Productions, sat down with Dr. Raied Aljadaany, Chief of Computer Vision at the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and Abdullah Al Sabe, Tech Editor at Independent Arabia and Tech Plus program presenter to answer some questions about AI, our lives and the future of work. Here are the top four insights.

AI cannot replace people

Artificial intelligence can complement our efforts across different fields, including diagnostic imagery but it cannot be the final decision maker. There always needs to be a human who reviews the outputs and recommendations. This is especially relevant when it comes to topics that require emotional intelligence, such as people management and medicine where dealing with people and having a human connection is core to the role and outcome of the work.


Good local data = Locally relevant Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is as good as the data it learns from. This is why it’s integral for different regions and countries to develop their own artificial intelligence systems so they can build them to understand local context and nuances. Dr. Raied says that AI should be just like a person’s clothes - custom-made and tailored for the person, their preferences and needs for it to be most helpful. Imagine training a self-driving car in Copenhagen and then trying to use the same self-driving car on the streets of Riyadh. It just won’t work

New technologies create new opportunities:

When personal computers were first launched, it meant that some labor intensive roles like archiving content were simplified through the use of technology. At the same time, it created new jobs and opportunities for people in the field of archiving to acquire new skills and develop their expertise to be more impactful in their roles and to move onto new roles. Artificial intelligence will have the same impact of enhancing productivity and helping equip people with new skills to help them with their careers.

Smart regulation of AI is needed

As with any technology that can have a wide-reaching impact, it’s important to have regulations in place to manage it. However, too much regulation can stifle development, creativity and development, which is why there needs to be a balance between regulation and innovation to ensure safe and ethical AI that is more helpful for everyone in their day-to-day life.

You can watch both episodes on Faisal Al Saif’s YouTube, YouTube Arabia’s YouTube channel or wherever you get your podcasts.