Artificial Intelligence: Blessing or Disruption Across Industries? (Part 1)

AI is not something we just talk about anymore; it is affecting different aspects of our lives in ways we are yet to grasp fully. To some, it has come as a blessing because we are finally able to tackle problems which previously seemed impossible. To others, it represents a disruption and there’s fear it could dismantle the industries and traditions we’ve built over centuries. In this blog I am going to zoom in on four specific areas – Healthcare, Education, Religion/Church, and Construction – to analyze the extent AI is revolutionizing the conventional approach to these sectors. We will learn the traditional approaches and explore the exciting but worrying reasons why AI is often touted as a game changer. The emphasis will be on primary evidence, not conjecture, so I invite you to visit my trusted sources from Reuters and Forbes who offer material for further research. Hold tight as we explore the already fast-evolving future!

HEALTHCARE

In healthcare, the consequences of a decision can result in life or death. Therefore, every change is perceived as significant. In the past, doctors and radiologists manually examined scans and noted details on charts. Now AI is in the picture. For example, Reuters reports an AI system that analyzes the brain scans of stroke patients and can accurately diagnose them with 90% accuracy. Read more
AI could speed up the detection of strokes thereby saving brain cells. AI is also aiding in the operating room, for example, in a study where a computer watched a recorded prostate surgery and wrote the postoperative report, catching details a fatigued surgeon would miss. Instead of a beleaguered physician sitting up at night to manually transcribe notes, an AI offers assistance and reduces discrepancies to 20%. Read more

There is a mad rush to deploy these tools. One such healthcare startup, Suki, received funding for an AI voice assistant that attends to doctors and completes charts, reducing the amount of paperwork. Read more. More than 300 health systems are testing it. The strategy is straightforward: enable machines to manage clerical work so that doctors can devote their attention to the patients.

Excitement: AI can identify small problems in CT and MRI scans and can even produce improved surgical notes. We can do smarter and faster methodologies now. This allows for enhanced treatment and increased interaction time in appointment settings with patients. Physicians are more than pleased with anything that helps to shred the endless piles of paperwork.

Concern: Can a computer truly take care of our health? There is concern over AI error and omission of critical context. The amount of data a medical AI requires is immense. Such a tool is bound to fail if the provided data is not only bias, but also incomplete. On top of that, who will take the blame if an AI with faulty logic decides to misdiagnose? There is laser focus needed regarding privacy. In conclusion, it appears that when the medical community moves past this point, there will be a lot of cautious hope shown.

EDUCATION

Schools are adopting the use of technology today. In the past, instruction included chalkboards and books, with essays painstakingly marked up and commented on. Now, everything from laptops to chatbots have made their way into classrooms. Consider homework: students today are apprehensive about submitting written reports, whereas in the past, students were more comfortable with hand written submissions. Some students might even draft their essays with just a few prompts given to AI. Reuters even claims that California State University (CSU) integrated ChatGPT Edu with around 500,000 students and faculty​ at their disposal. Instead of blocking access to AI, they provide an education version of their chatbot. Students have on-demand tutoring and study guides, while professors use it to prepare lessons. Read full story

This isn’t unique. One professor in Latin America remarked that every student in his class was using ChatGPT to complete the assignments. A lot of teachers have mocked that AI is now “a new student in the room”, fueling the speculation that there is a shift in global education dynamics. Students claim that they use it to brainstorm the prompts given, refine the writing, and arrange various ideas cohesively. AI can personalize and respond to questions instantly outside of class, and adapting to each individual in real time. Read full story

Excitement: Personalized learning at scale is now possible because of AI. A virtual tutor can answer any questions and explain until a student gets the concept. Students from Latin America have reported ChatGPT help them refine essays and get past writer’s block. AI can also help teachers develop better lesson plans and tests. For students who are struggling, in theory, there is immediate custom support available unlike before where they fell behind.

Concern: The persistent worry, however, is a much larger one; will students simply pass their work off as done? Many educators still prohibit unsupervised AI for essay writing because of its so-called “hallucinations”. If a student copies an AI essay, how is that termed in learning? That’s not learning, isn’t it? Schools are in a rush to adapt: some create “AI-proof” questions, others teach children proper citation of AI. There is the concern also that without human inputs, critical thinking skills are eroded. The pace of educational changes is rapid, and what is lost or gained is difficult to ascertain.

RELIGION / CHURCH

Even the church pews aren’t shielded from AI. In the past, one would think of religion as everything that is based on human interaction. For example, parishioners seek priests for guidance, preachers compose sermons, and spiritual mentorship occurs face-to-face. Now, technology is finding its way into sanctuaries. Reuters reports about a Polish priest who created a modern chapel where visitors can tap an app and inquire about Catholicism through AI. Worshippers no longer have to raise their hands to ask shy questions; all they have to do is press a button at a lectern and have a conversation with a chatbot rooted in biblical and Church teachings. The priest claims this is “phenomenal” because people can ask questions they would feel embarrassed to ask in person. He even noted, “AI doesn’t have this emotional connection… it just wants to pass on pure knowledge.” Read more

Everything here feels surreal — as though God meets Google. On one hand, it’s exhilarating: inquisitive believers get straightforward, factual responses, and a priest gets some free time with tech taking care of the FAQs. The priest finds it “amazing” that the AI pulls from church documents to provide direct responses. On the other hand, some members are more judicious: will a robot ever match the tenderness of a human pastor? Are we losing the very soul of tradition if a computer gives a sermon? It’s a spirited debate.

Excitement: It’s the answer to prayers for some of the more reserved or even self-conscious churchgoers. Without worrying about criticism, you can be sure that a theologian will assist you. According to the Polish priest, people can ask “all these questions that you used to be shy to ask” and get a calm, impartial response. It’s similar to having a 24/7 accessible virtual biblical expert at one’s disposal.

Concern: Will the faithful experience a spiritual void? Skeptics question if automated worship has the same metaphysical importance as religion and whether faith can really be reduced to bytes. The combination of AI and religion makes some strong traditionalists uncomfortable. Although the technology may offer some amusement, it emphasizes a big difference from really kneeling at the altar or making a sincere confession to a living person.

CONSTRUCTION

Construction sites often conjure imagery of an aggressive and physical approach to labor, such as the use of mixers, cranes, and hammering carpenters. However, AI and robotics are now equally instrumental to modern building practices. Traditionally, erecting even a modest house is a death knell demanding hours of thorough manual work. Now whole neighborhoods are being printed. A Texas company called ICON is finishing up the world’s largest 3D-printed housing subdivision. Like frosting a cake, their concrete printer, which is bigger than a truck, carefully creates walls layer by layer. What used to require weeks of multi crew framing is now done using a single crew and a single robot. It is cheaper, faster, more efficient, and less wasteful. Read more

Back in Europe, researchers tested a robot helper on an Italian construction site​. This prototype can drill, sand, paint and carry heavy loads alongside human builders. In short, it’s a very strong, multitasking colleague who never gets tired (though it can’t grab a coffee break). The goal? Let humans handle tricky or creative tasks, while the robot does the dirty, heavy lifting. Read more

Excitement: Automating grunt work is a big selling point. Robots and printers can build around the clock. That Texas Vulcan printer is turning out 3–4 bedroom homes in about three weeks instead of months​. The Italian site robot can carry heavy beams and do the tedious drilling work​. Builders love that they can finish projects faster, safer, and sometimes with better precision.

Concern: But what about the human crew? Laborers worry: will machines steal their jobs or skills? Tradespeople who prided themselves on craftsmanship may find roles shrinking. And technology has its limits – a 3D printer or robot breakdown on the job could halt progress. Quality control, maintenance, and ensuring safety when humans and robots mix are new challenges. In short, the construction crew’s hardhats now include a bit of binary – exciting but unfamiliar.

CONCLUSION

One thing is evident after exploring each of these fields: AI may be both a help and an enemy. The story of every industry we looked at was very much the same. In the diagnosis and treatment segment, the advantages are literally lifesaving. There are also new capabilities in knowledge-on-demand systems, new construction techniques, personalized education. These innovations have the potential to conserve time, resources, or at best, one’s life. However, AI re-evaluates the essence of every field or sector: doctors have to cope with new types of blunders, teachers are faced with a dramatic increase of academic dishonesty, and among other occupations, builders cope with uncertainty about their work prospects. Yellen, reported by Reuters, articulates the challenge well: “significant risks” accompany these advantages. The truth is that AI is neither good nor bad. It is, however, a tool of enormous potential, and its utility is dependent upon how we go about applying it. What lies ahead is the equilibrium positioned between the stunning myriad of instruments and the human factor. Growth in intelligence robotics casts doubt over whether AI will indeed end up being a bane, a flip side, or a combination of both.

Do not miss Part Two of this series where I will elaborate on further changes brought about by AI in agriculture, transportation, military, and finance.