Do people with higher incomes use AI more? A story about how reading this article made me want to start using it a little now
The other day, I was reading an article that really made me think.
This is the article.
The article introduced a survey on how much generative AI is being utilized for job hunting and career development.
Among the findings, there was one figure that particularly caught my attention.
The percentage of people who answered that they were able to organize their thoughts regarding career concerns and self-analysis was:
Annual income of 8 million yen or more: 58.6%
Annual income of 6 million to less than 8 million yen: 44.9%
Annual income of less than 6 million yen: 24.3%
so it seems.
There is about a 2.4-fold difference between those earning 8 million yen or more and those earning less than 6 million yen.
When I saw this, I felt,
"AI might no longer be just something people use because it's convenient; it might be starting to have a gradual impact on work and careers as well."
that is what I felt.
Of course, just by looking at this survey,
"If you use AI, your income will increase"
cannot be said.
It is also possible that because they are high earners, they are more actively trying out new tools.
Therefore, one cannot simply link using AI with having a high income.
However, what I was concerned about was not the "8 million yen" figure itself.
People who use AI and people who don't. The gap between them might be gradually widening.
Just because you start using AI doesn't mean you'll suddenly become better at your job the next day.
That was the case for me, too.
As I continued to use it,
I started thinking, "Maybe I should ask AI about this."
Or, "Maybe it can help me with this task, too."
Little by little, I began to understand where it could be useful.
At first, the difference is small.
But what will happen if that accumulates over six months, a year, or two years?
While reading this article, that's what I found myself thinking about.
People who have been incorporating AI into their work early on versus those who haven't started yet.
The gap between them might start to grow little by little from here on out.
I don't think this is just a story for people looking to change jobs.
This survey was about job hunting and careers.
However, I believe this is also relevant to those working as sole proprietors or freelancers.
For example,
"How should I write this email?"
"I can't get my social media posts organized."
"I have so much to do that my head is a mess."
"I want to create a document, but I can't decide on the structure."
AI can be used in these situations as well.
Each one is a very small thing.
But when you are working while raising children or doing housework, these "little bits of help" are surprisingly significant.
It is not just about saving 10 or 20 minutes of time,
but also about reducing the time you spend worrying alone,
thinking, "What should I do?" which can make you feel a little more at ease.
I believe that this is also one of the benefits of AI.
But there is no need to be too anxious.
After reading this far,
some of you might think,
"Well, I need to start learning AI quickly."
However, I do not think you need to be that rushed.
Especially living in a rural area, there are still many people around me who have not fully utilized AI in their work.
"I've heard of ChatGPT, but I've never used it"
is not an uncommon sentiment.
So, I don't think you need to learn difficult things right away.
First, just try opening an AI tool once.
And then,
"What should I make for dinner tonight?"
is fine too.
"Make this email sound a bit softer"
That's fine too.
You don't have to use it for work.
Just try talking to an AI about one thing, that's all you need to do.
I think that's a good enough place to start.
What I want to do is lower the "initial barrier" to using AI.
When I talk about AI,
"It seems difficult"
"I won't be able to master it"
"I don't know what to ask"
I sometimes hear these kinds of comments.
I understand that feeling very well.
With new things, the first step is often the heaviest, isn't it?
That's why, rather than introducing many complicated ways to use AI, I want to share content that makes people think,
"I think I can do this too."
I want to share content that makes people feel that way.
You don't have to master AI perfectly.
You don't have to use it every day.
First, just try touching it a little.
That small step might make your work or life a little easier in six months or a year.
After reading this article,
If this makes you think, "Maybe I should try using AI a little bit,"
then I would be happy just with that.