In 2018, Amazon quietly shut down an experimental hiring tool they had spent years developing. Its purpose was simple: automate the recruitment process. Speed it up. Make it more objective. The promise was efficiency, neutrality, and scale.
But there was one problem.
The AI had taught itself to be biased against women.
Trained on resumes submitted over a ten-year period—most of them from male applicants—the system began downgrading candidates who had attended all-women’s colleges or even used the word “women’s” anywhere in their application.
No one programmed sexism into the algorithm. It simply learned—from us.
This is the AI paradox in its rawest form. We build machines to be better than us: faster, fairer, more consistent. And yet, they often end up reflecting our worst tendencies.
We tend to think of AI as something far off—a sci-fi future, still forming in labs. But it’s already woven into our everyday lives.
Autocorrect. Virtual assistants. Grammar checks. Image generation. Chatbots. Content creation. Self-driving cars… Think about your typical day. How many decisions—what to write, where to go, what to listen to—are already being shaped by systems you didn’t build and barely notice?
Advancements in machine learning, automation, and generative design are happening faster than most institutions can process. Whole industries are being redefined. Doctors are using AI to detect cancer. Lawyers are using it to review contracts. Writers are using it to generate ideas.
Which leads us to the question now whispered in offices, classrooms, and dinner tables across the world:
Will AI replace us?
Is it something we should fear… or embrace? Will it take our jobs, or transform them? And how should we view this new species in our ecosystem—as a friend, or as a foe?
These are some of the questions I explored with Iñaki Escudero, a storyteller, brand strategist, futurist, and senior learning designer at Hyper Island.
Let’s dive into his insightful take on the role AI plays today and how it may shape the future of work—and ourselves.
According to Iñaki, the rapid acceleration of AI is due to a combination of multiple factors converging at the right time:
First of all there is the fact that computing power has skyrocketed, making it possible to train AI models at unprecedented scale.
Second, we’re generating more data in a single day than we once did over centuries of recorded history—and AI thrives on data.
Third, improved algorithms, like transformers (the technology powering ChatGPT and other models), have drastically improved AI’s ability to understand and generate human-like text, images, and even code.
And finally, there has been massive investment—taking AI from a niche research field to a global priority for companies, governments and venture capitalists.
The combination of these factors has resulted in the rapid advancements of AI as we know it today, Iñaki says.
format_quotePut simply, the past decades laid the foundation, but today, AI has the fuel, the tools, and the urgency to evolve at an exponential rate.
Among the many impressive advancements in recent years, Iñaki believes the real game-changer is AI’s evolution from tool to collaborator. It’s no longer just answering questions; it’s thinking with us.
“For years, AI has been seen as a tool—something we use to perform specific tasks, automate repetitive work, or generate content on demand. But what’s happening now is a fundamental shift: AI is evolving from being just a passive tool to an active collaborator that can think alongside us, enhance our creativity, and even challenge our ideas.” Iñaki explains.
He believes it’s this transition that makes AI truly transformative.
format_quoteThe most powerful future isn’t AI replacing humans, but humans and AI co-creating in ways neither could do alone.
When looking at the bigger picture in terms of the opportunities AI brings to individuals and organisations today, Iñaki sees it as a multiplier of human potential.
"It removes friction, speeds up processes, and allows individuals and businesses to focus on the highest-value work." He says.
For individuals, AI offers the opportunity to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time for creativity, learning, and meaningful problem-solving. From an organisational perspective, it unlocks data-driven insights, enhances tailor-made customer experiences, and delivers an unprecedented level of speed and efficiency.
Undoubtedly, AI has immense potential. But with great potential comes great responsibility.
How do we differentiate between AI enhancing our human capabilities and AI exploiting our vulnerabilities? Iñaki means that it comes down to responsible development and use.
format_quoteThe question isn’t “How powerful can AI become?”—it’s “How do we ensure AI serves human values and well-being?
He goes on to explain: “AI should enhance creativity, decision-making, and innovation—without exploiting privacy, trust, or fairness.”
The future of AI must be human-centered.
He continues:
“We’ve faced the same challenges before with the development of any technology, sometimes we got it mostly right, sometimes we got it mostly wrong, but there is no future scenario where bad and good won’t coexist.”
To really harness AI’s potential, whether as a tool or a co-pilot, we need to figure out the best ways to embrace it.
To thrive in this new AI-powered world, Iñaki believes three things matter most:
- Curiosity & Adaptability. The world is changing fast. Those who are open to learning and experimenting will thrive.
- Human skills (critical thinking, creativity, empathy). AI can analyse, but humans bring meaning, judgment, and emotional intelligence.
- AI fluency. You don’t have to be a programmer, but understanding how AI works and where it can be applied is becoming a fundamental skill—like knowing how to use Google in the 2000s.
At Hyper Island we understand and recognise the transformative power of AI and emerging technologies, especially in shaping the Tech, Business, and Creative industries. That is why we have made them a cornerstone of our curriculum. Through our learning experiences, we focus on teaching how to use these tools responsibly, ethically, and creatively. By doing so, we empower individuals and organisations to drive innovation, solve complex challenges, and stay ahead in a world that’s always evolving.
Iñaki considers AI to be a wave in a series of technological revolutions. He means that what really matters the most is building the capacity to learn, unlearn, and innovate continuously.
format_quoteThe key is not just understanding the tools, but understanding how to use them to create impact, drive innovation, and build a better future.
So, back to the big question we asked at the start. Will AI steal your job?
Drumroll...
According to Iñaki:
No, AI won’t steal your job. But someone using AI will.
“It’s not about replacement—it’s about augmentation. AI is already taking over certain tasks, but not entire jobs. The real shift will be job reinvention—many roles will evolve into AI-augmented versions of themselves,” he explains.
And the greatest risk? Doing nothing.
“Assuming your industry or role won’t be affected. Instead of fearing AI, the smart move is to actively learn how to use it to your advantage,” he continues.
Finally Iñaki leaves us with the following words:
format_quoteThe future isn’t AI vs. humans—it’s AI + humans. The winners will be those who embrace this synergy.
Want to explore AI and the future of work?
Hyper Island offers tailored solutions to help you stay ahead. Check out our AI for Business course to enhance your AI knowledge or discover how our Business Transformation services can drive innovation in your organization.
WANT TO GET NOTIFIED ABOUT OUR EVENTS?
Join our mailing list for tips, events, and opportunities.