“We are not against the deployment of new technologies in a sensible manner, but we would oppose the use of AI if the primary motivation is to secure savings only,” said Simola. “Whatever the government decides on AI in the public sector transformation, the final implementation plan should not overlook what impact the changes will have on employees and on how public services are both managed and delivered to ensure quality and higher productivity.”
If AI can do the same job with equal quality, why would it be bad if the primary motivation is to secure savings only?
I’m not Finnish but as a citizen i would rather have my tax money spent on stuff that can’t be automated then on stuff that can.
If only our system was not currently being demolished in the name of optimization.
Because if your prime factor to optimize for is cost savings “AI can do the same job equally well but cheaper” quickly becomes “AI can so a somewhat worse job but much cheaper”, then becomes “AI does quite a shitty job, but that’s what we have to live with now as we laid off all workers to save money”…
(Also thanks to capitalism it then continues with “Now that AI is the only option in that sector, let’s raise prices to increase our profit margin”.)
Because the alternative to saving money with AI is providing better services with AI - if it can be done. And the people to do that are the people doing the job.
