We are experiencing a real race for artificial intelligence that is simultaneously affecting multiple sectors. The news of the last 24 hours reveals a fascinating and, at times, worrying panorama. From educational applications replacing humans with AI to alarming predictions about global energy consumption, the current scenario offers us important reflections on the future we are building.<\/p>\n
I start our daily analysis with a news story that perfectly exemplifies the transformation that the job market is undergoing. Duolingo, a popular language learning app, has officially announced its transition to an \u201cAI-first\u201d strategy, which includes gradual replacement of human employees by artificial intelligence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n According to a statement from CEO Luis von Ahn: \u201cWithout AI, it would take decades to scale our content to more learners.\u201d The company has already replaced manual content creation processes with AI-powered workflows and plans to extend the use of the technology to hiring, performance reviews and team evaluations, as reported by Exam<\/a>.<\/p>\n Duolingo\u2019s decision is not an isolated case, but rather a concrete example of a trend I\u2019ve been observing for years: companies seeking scale and efficiency through intelligent automation. The company\u2019s argument is that it\u2019s not about simply replacing people, but about allowing employees to focus on more creative tasks \u2014 a line that has become standard in automation processes.<\/p>\n The question we need to ask ourselves is: how many companies will follow suit in the coming weeks and months? And are we prepared, as a society and as an economy, to absorb the professionals whose roles will be automated?<\/p>\n Another piece of news that deserves our attention points to one of the major challenges of the expansion of AI: its environmental impact. According to calculations by the International Energy Agency, artificial intelligence will consume 3% of all global electricity by 2030<\/strong> \u2014 volume equivalent to all of Japan's annual consumption, as revealed in a report by UOL<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is particularly relevant when we consider that in some countries like the US, AI energy consumption is expected to outpace entire industrial sectors, including the manufacturing of consumer goods, aluminum, steel, and chemicals. This reflects both the deindustrialization of the US and the exponential growth of AI-based services.<\/p>\n As an entrepreneur and observer of the innovation ecosystem, I realize that we are facing a paradox: on the one hand, AI promises solutions to environmental challenges; on the other, its very operation demands immense energy resources. This contradiction will need to be urgently addressed by developers and companies in the sector.<\/p>\n One piece of news that particularly caught my attention was the emergence of DeepSeek, an AI developed by Chinese researchers that allows the user to follow, in real time, the logical process that leads to the generation of responses<\/strong>. According to Accounting<\/a>, this unprecedented approach has the potential to transform the way professionals and companies use technology, especially in environments that require a high degree of reliability.<\/p>\n What makes this innovation so important is that it directly addresses one of the main concerns with generative AI systems: the opacity of the decision-making process. When we don\u2019t understand how an AI reaches a certain conclusion, we are limited in our ability to evaluate and trust its results.<\/p>\n This transparency in reasoning connects directly with another relevant news item: report from Valor Econ\u00f4mico<\/a> which highlights how AI is highlighting the need to mitigate the risks of false content not only being intentional, but the result of a lack of identification of reliable sources.<\/p>\n In my work with startups and large corporations, I have consistently emphasized the importance of building accountable and transparent AI systems. Trust will be the most valuable currency in the AI economy, and initiatives like DeepSeek show a promising path.<\/p>\n Chemist and educator Mozart Neves Ramos shares in an interview with Economic Value<\/a> how he had to reinvent his teaching approaches after a student questioned the need to attend class when information was available on the internet. This experience resonates deeply with my own journey as an educator and entrepreneur in the field.<\/p>\n The article highlights that more than what is taught, it is necessary to change how it is taught<\/strong>. In an era where tools like ChatGPT allow instant access to information, research, interpretation, and critical thinking skills become even more crucial.<\/p>\n This transformation in education reflects what I have called CACACA \u2014 an acronym for the six core skills needed by the workers of the future: Creativity and Autonomy; Collaboration and Adaptability; Connection and Affection. It is precisely these human skills that will remain valuable as more routine tasks are automated.<\/p>\n Geoffrey Hinton, considered one of the \u201cgodfathers of AI\u201d, brought an important warning in a recent interview. According to the State<\/a>, Hinton predicts that Artificial general intelligence \u2014 a theoretical system with human-like cognitive abilities \u2014 could arrive in 10 years or less<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Their central concern is that if we continue to approach AI with a purely profit-driven mindset, we increase the risks of an \u201cAI takeover,\u201d or malicious actors co-opting the technology for dangerous purposes.<\/p>\n This kind of warning, coming from one of the pioneers of the field, should be taken seriously. As I have argued in my speaking and consulting work, we need a balance between innovation and responsibility. Artificial intelligence is not inherently good or bad \u2014 its impact will depend on the choices we make as societies, businesses, and individuals.<\/p>\nAI and Energy Consumption: A Growing Environmental Challenge<\/h2>\n
DeepSeek and Transparency of Reasoning: A New Paradigm for Trustworthy AI<\/h2>\n
Education in the Age of AI: New Skills for a New World<\/h2>\n
Potentials and Risks: Geoffrey Hinton's Warning<\/h2>\n
Digital Inequality: The AI Divide and UN Proposals<\/h2>\n