The AI tools that will make your life easier in 2025
Jan 8, 2025
auto_awesome
In this insightful discussion, Toby Walsh, a leading Professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW, delves into the exciting developments in AI technology. He addresses the mixed feelings surrounding AI in the workplace, balancing anxiety over job loss with the thrill of innovation. Toby introduces practical AI tools like Google’s Notebook LLM, emphasizing their potential to enhance productivity and creativity. He also reflects on how AI will reshape various professions, encouraging listeners to adapt to these changes by 2025.
The rapid advancement of AI is causing anxiety among professionals about job security, particularly in fields at risk of automation, while also fostering excitement for enhanced productivity through innovative tools.
Preparing for 2025 requires familiarity with emerging AI tools like research assistants and agentic AI systems, which promise to transform how tasks are managed and improve overall efficiency.
Deep dives
The Impact of AI on Various Professions
The advancement of artificial intelligence is bringing significant changes across various professions, causing concern among individuals in fields such as teaching, law, and journalism. Many professionals are apprehensive about job security as AI tools, which continually improve, threaten to automate tasks traditionally performed by humans. For instance, graphic design has already seen a decrease in job opportunities with the introduction of generative design tools, illustrating the tangible impacts of AI on employment. However, there is also optimism about the potential for AI to enhance productivity and support workers in focusing on more complex, creative tasks.
Essential AI Tools for the Future
In preparing for 2025, several AI tools are recommended to improve productivity and maintain relevance in the workforce. AI research assistants, such as Google's Notebook LLM, can significantly aid in processing information by summarizing large documents and creating content, enhancing the efficiency of users. Other tools mentioned include systems for generating graphics like Stable Diffusion and advanced video content with Google's Vion, illustrating the broad range of applications available to users. Familiarizing oneself with these technologies is crucial for workers aiming to stay ahead as AI continues to evolve.
The Transition to Agentic AI
The future of AI lies in the development of agentic AI, capable of executing tasks autonomously rather than merely responding to prompts. These advanced systems will function similarly to personal assistants, handling various responsibilities such as scheduling, research, and task execution based on user preferences. This shift indicates a move towards a more integrated AI experience, potentially revolutionizing how individuals manage their daily activities. While there are undeniable benefits to such advancements, ethical considerations regarding responsibility, job displacement, and the role of human creativity remain critical topics for discussion.
Headlines: Rescued hiker in NSW survived a fortnight on berries and two muesli bars, wildfires have forced thousands to flee in Los Angeles, the pilot in Rottnest Island plane crash identified, and Brisbane (somehow) ranks worst city in Australia for traffic.
Deep Dive: As artificial intelligence gets exponentially better at just about everything, it’s making people in all kinds of professions – from teachers to doctors, to lawyers, to retail workers – a little bit nervous.
But AI is also making a lot of people very excited, with new, mind-bending capabilities coming online every week.
What tools should you be using in 2025 to keep ahead of the curve and make your life a little easier?
As part of The Briefing’s series on how to start your 2025 right, Bension Siebert is joined by Toby Walsh, professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW, to guide you through what’s out there, what you should be using, and where to start with AI in the new year.