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Accelerating Breakthroughs in Critical and Emerging Technologies — Dr. Erwin Gianchandani, Ph.D. — Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)


Dr. Erwin Gianchandani, Ph.D. is Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, U.S. National Science Foundation, leading the newly established TIP Directorate (https://new.nsf.gov/tip/leadership).

The TIP Directorate is focused on harnessing the nation’s vast and diverse talent pool to advance critical and emerging technologies, addressing pressing societal and economic challenges, and accelerating the translation of research results from lab to market and society, ultimately improving U.S. competitiveness, growing the U.S. economy and training a diverse workforce for future, high-wage jobs.

Tools such as DALL – E 2 and ChatGPT have the potential to crush the “competition” because they can do specific creative tasks faster and, in some cases, better than humans. This may sound scary for the people behind the desk; however, as phenomenal as these tools are, they are not infallible. These LLMs are not without their limits. They are vulnerable to inconsistent accuracy, limited creativity and controllability and may provide outdated information.

Despite their significant strengths, they present users with challenges that must be addressed to optimize their potential fully. What this means for those threatened by the existence of AI is the need to step up their game and upskill to remain competitive.

The evolution of technology will continue, addressing the gaps in many different industries to benefit society. Creatives, including digital marketers, copywriters and designers, have already recognized the potential benefits of AI-powered tools. So, the question shouldn’t be whether AI will take over your jobs but how you’ll adapt.

In light of these changes, there is growing concern about the future of employment worldwide. Surveys suggest that one-fourth of all jobs are at risk of being automated, which understandably makes people worry about job security. However, there is evidence to suggest that the impact of automation may not be as dire as some may fear.

Contrary to popular belief, the automation of jobs is not necessarily synonymous with the elimination of jobs. Instead, it is likely to change the nature of occupations by taking over easy and repetitive tasks, which will free up employees to focus on work that requires higher-level interpersonal skills. This shift is expected to create a demand for workers who are skilled in areas such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

In conclusion, the nature of labor is evolving at an unprecedented pace due to the rise of technology. Automation and AI are transforming the types of jobs available in many industries, creating new opportunities for workers with higher-level skills. Although there may be concerns about job security, the impact of automation is expected to change rather than eliminate occupations, providing a chance for workers to develop new skills and remain relevant in an ever-changing job market.

The quarterly reports by these tech behemoths show their efforts to increase AI productivity in the face of growing economic worries.

The US tech giants like Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta are increasing their large language model (LLM) investments as a show of their dedication to utilizing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) while cutting costs and jobs.

Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot in late 2022, these businesses have put their artificial intelligence AI models on steroids to compete in the market, CNBC reported on Friday.


The IT behemoths Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta are increasing their large language model (LLM) investments as a show of their dedication to utilizing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) while cutting costs and jobs.

As highlighted in a recent article, the release of ChatGPT in its various guises, along with numerous other generative AI-based technologies, has heralded a flurry of articles, studies, and headlines lauding the often catastrophic impact such technologies will have on jobs and society more broadly.

It’s the kind of simplistic and often doom-laden narrative that so often thrives on social media. As Greg Berman and Aubrey Fox remind us in their recent book Gradual, however, change seldom happens rapidly and almost never happens in such a linear fashion.


The study surveyed executives from 200 large companies and found that while most recognized the importance of new technologies, many were unrealistic about their ability to transform their businesses. The survey revealed that companies that took a more measured and realistic approach to technology adoption tended to be more successful.

Overall, these studies suggest that technological predictions are often overly optimistic and that many new technologies fail to meet their initial expectations.