Revisiting The Legend Of John Henry

A timeless story about man and machine.

The story of John Henry is a folk tale about a man who competed against a steam-powered hammer in a race to see who could drill through a mountain faster. John Henry won the race, but died of exhaustion afterwards.

John Henry kept hammerin’ on the mountain,
There was lightnin’ in his eye.
He drove so hard that he broke his heart,
And he laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord.
And he laid down his hammer and he died.

The story has been interpreted as a cautionary tale about the dangers of technology and the displacement of human workers by machines. Today, the story of John Henry can be applied to the ongoing debate about the impact of artificial intelligence and automation on the workforce, as many people are concerned about the potential for AI to replace human workers—including both physical and cognitive tasks. Some argue that AI will lead to increased efficiency and productivity, while others warn that it could lead to widespread job loss and economic inequality.

The emergence of GPT-3, like other forms of advanced artificial intelligence, raises questions about the role of human skills and the potential for displacement of human workers. GPT is a highly advanced language model that is capable of generating human-like text and completing a wide range of language-based tasks, such as writing essays, composing poetry, and even programming. This has led some to worry that GPT4 and other AI systems like it could potentially replace human workers in fields such as writing, journalism, and even coding. And the prospect of GPT-n that looms around the corner takes the argument to the next level.

However, others argue that while GPT-3 is highly advanced, it still lacks the creativity and empathy of a human being and thus, it can help human to increase productivity by automating repetitive tasks, but it can’t replace the unique human skills. It can serve as a tool to assist human in their work but not to replace them.

Moreover, GPT-3 and 4 and other AI systems can also create new opportunities for human workers, by allowing them to focus on more complex, higher-level tasks, and by providing them with new tools to improve their work. In the final analysis, it’s important to consider both the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI and to develop policies and strategies to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared widely and that the potential negative impacts on the workforce are mitigated.

But the reality is that technology is becoming stronger and even smarter than the humans competitors. And “our human advantage” may be best served by avoiding a direct fight and changing the battle ground. Exactly how is the question of our times.

The story of John Henry is as relevant to day as it was in the days of the steam-powered rock drilling machine. But remember, John Henry won the battle, but lost the war…