The world evolves rapidly. Like it or not, the potential for technology use in the future is more significant than ever. The International Youth Day 2024 with the theme “Digital Pathways to a Sustainable Future,” emphasizes that it’s crucial to explore the many ways digital innovation can pave the way for youth empowerment globally. One of the innovations mostly discussed is the Artificial Intelligence (AI). Everyone is indeed positively welcome the changes, especially when they have enough resources to do so. However, because of these changes, we started to also question about the challenges and the ethical of using the technology to ‘ease’ the works that we do and the ways we do it for it relates to the life and the generation of humankind. Did you foresee the now future of how massive the technology use worldwide? I did but it blew my mind about how real it is now to live in a Post Humanist era. For this matter, let’s pause and reflect. What has led us to this point?

In this blog, for discussion of the topic, we will be referring to two news articles by The Jakarta Post, a national news outlet of Indonesia with the article entitled “How AI creates equal learning and job opportunities for Indonesians” and from the United Nation press release in the website of United Nations Indonesia, entitled “International Youth Day 2024: Digital Pathways to a Sustainable Future. Our discussion will be focusing on Indonesia.

The United Nations article focuses on young people worldwide, especially those from underrepresented and vulnerable communities, emphasizing their increased engagement with digital technology for a sustainable future. The topic choice reflects the UN’s broader mission of fostering inclusive and sustainable development worldwide. On the other hand, the Jakarta Post article targets Indonesians, particularly students and job seekers, highlighting how AI can provide them with equal opportunities in education and employment. The article mentioned the specific role of AI in creating opportunities for Indonesians by providing a localized perspective. However, in the AI survey they provided, I found that the average positive feedback from respondents was not significant. Despite this, the writer maintains a positive perspective throughout the articles.

Screen Capture: The Jakarta Post news article

Screen Capture: UN news article

The pictures used in the UN news articles is more relevant than in the Jakarta Post. The relevance of content and pictures gives a sense of reality, article based on facts.

UN agenda to promote the objectives to achieve the SDGs goal can be seen in how the writer also include below picture in the article, highlighting “Indonesia’s large and relatively young population presents a valuable opportunity for development” (International Youth Day 2024: Digital Pathways to a Sustainable Future, n.d.)

Seems like the way  “development” is addressed in this context is equal to how we (should) perceive development is equal to modernization and modernization is equal to the use of technology as the indication of the journey to post human era. We are directed to be a global citizen meaning we have to enforce technology and the use of AI in our lives. When all the work is done through technology and AI, we potentially will lose our skills and ability to survive, strive and developed for our role as human can then be changed by the technology for, we prefer easiness in life. Let’s pause and reflect: What does it mean to be human? What led us to this point? How should we perceive and use the technology/AI?

Drop your thoughts in the comment section below.

References:

International Youth Day 2024: Digital Pathways to a Sustainable Future. (n.d.-b). Indonesia. https://indonesia.un.org/en/276163-international-youth-day-2024-digital-pathways-sustainable-future

Gupta, R. (2024, July 27). How AI creates equal learning and job opportunities for Indonesians. The Jakarta Post. https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2024/07/27/how-ai-creates-equal-learning-and-job-opportunities-for-indonesians.html