AI and the Human Equation: A Call for Balanced Innovation

Introduction: AI and the Human

The concept of Artificial Intelligence emerged in 1948 with Alan Turing’s vision of Intelligent Machinery. It took more than six decades for AI to reach mainstream use, with Apple’s Siri and Google’s Alexa. ChatGPT marked a pivotal shift in 2022, when ordinary people could converse with AI in natural language. Within two years, an explosion of AI tools transformed daily life, and by 2025, AI is everywhere—from manufacturing to education, commerce to creativity, from AI-assisted writing to self-learning robots.

Even this article has been co-authored with Copilot. The AI often insisted on balance, yet biased; while I remained biased toward humans. That tension itself reflects the challenge: as AI’s influence grows, so does the risk of imbalance in the equation between humans and machines. This is not a call to reject AI—it is a call to ensure that innovation does not come at the cost of human dignity, economic stability, or societal survival.

The Economic Fault Line: Rising Population, Shrinking Jobs

Global population is rising at approximately 0.85% per year, while the working-age population grows at around 1% annually.

• World Economic Forum (2023): Forecasted 83 million jobs lost globally by 2027 due to automation/AI, with 69 million new jobs created—a net loss of 14 million.
• Goldman Sachs (2023): Estimated 300 million full-time jobs worldwide could be affected, with two-thirds of jobs in advanced economies exposed to automation. Clerical, administrative, and routine cognitive work are most at risk.
• OECD (2024): Found 27% of jobs in member countries at “high risk” of automation, especially low-skill, repetitive roles. Even creative and managerial positions may not escape disruption.

Thus, AI may cannibalize between 27% and 66% of jobs, leaving vast populations without income. If half of all jobs vanish without replacement, consumer markets collapse. Shrinking job opportunities reduce disposable income, demand diminishes, and economies spiral into reverse cycles. The wealthy derive their income from the spending of the middle class—eliminate that base, and the entire system collapses.

Pakistan: A Case Study

Pakistan’s population growth rate is circa 1.25%, nearly 47% higher than the global average. Job market entrants are growing at approximately 2% annually, driven by one of the youngest populations in the world. Studies suggest AI could affect up to 60% of jobs in Pakistan.

As suggested by my AI friend, new opportunities may arise in digital entrepreneurship, tech, and data management, most require education. Yet Pakistan’s literacy rate is only ~60–61%, and this includes those who can merely read and write their names. Only 35–40% have completed matriculation (grade 10). This correlation paints a stark picture: millions entering the workforce without the education needed to adapt to AI-driven opportunities.

The Dystopian Trap: A Society That Cannot Sustain Itself

Imagine a future where only 10–15% of the population earns income. Factories run without workers. AI handles education, logistics, even emotional support. But who will buy the products? Who will pay taxes? Who will sustain demand?

A society that automates itself into economic irrelevance cannot survive. Overproduction meets underconsumption. Costs rise. Trust erodes. Poverty spreads. This isn’t just dystopian—it’s economically suicidal. Mass deprivation fuels unrest, crime, and collapse. Even elites cannot escape: their products will be bought only by elites themselves, until their own system implodes.

The collapse may be total—but in destruction lies the chance to rebuild. Can this be avoided? Human selfishness may obscure foresight. Can it be delayed? Yes. Solutions exist.

Human-First Design: The Alternative Path

AI should augment, not replace. Human-first design means:

• Preserving roles that require empathy, ethics, and cultural nuance
• Using AI to assist, not dominate, decision-making
• Designing systems that challenge human thinking, not dull it

For Pakistan, the first priorities are population control and true literacy improvement—not theoretical literacy, but functional education that equips citizens to thrive.

Policy Proposals: Innovation with Guardrails

Automation Tax

Automation must not erase human livelihoods. Companies that replace human labor recklessly with AI should be subjected to automation taxes. These taxes are not designed to foster dependency, but to discourage careless substitution and compel reinvestment into new job creation and human reinvention. Progress must never come at the expense of dignity.

Skills Development: Pathways to Employment

Training is meaningless without income. Skills programs must connect directly to properly paid jobs, apprenticeships, or entrepreneurial opportunities. Vocational training should prepare citizens to thrive in digital times—not to compete with AI’s brute efficiency, but to leverage it as an extension of human capability. Every skill learned must be a bridge to income, not a certificate without consequence.

Cooperative Platforms: Collective Market Power

Individuals cannot stand alone against AI-driven monopolies. Cooperative platforms will provide shared logistics, group listings, and collective bargaining power. These are not fallback shelters—these are competitive enterprises designed to secure fair pay, market visibility, and structural strength for workers and small businesses. Collective strength is survival.

Transparency in AI Use: Algorithmic Accountability

AI cannot operate in the shadows. Companies must disclose how algorithms affect pricing, visibility, and employment decisions. Independent audits will ensure fairness, prevent manipulation, and expose bias. Transparency is not optional—it is the foundation of a conducive environment where humans can compete and prosper.

Declaration

Innovation must serve humanity, not erase it. These guardrails are structural commitments to ensure that AI expands opportunity rather than cannibalizes it. Properly paid jobs, collective strength, and algorithmic accountability form the pillars of a balanced future. Thus, a redline needs to be defined, beyond which AI may not be employed.

This is not charity—it is continuity. Like zakat, it is a duty to preserve social equilibrium.

Education and Critical Thinking: AI Must Challenge, Not Coddle

AI can simulate emotion, but it does not feel. It can offer answers, but it cannot teach judgment. Over-reliance risks mental stagnation. Systems must be designed to provoke thought, not replace it.

Human educators remain essential for emotional depth, ethical guidance, and cultural nuance. AI should assist, not anesthetize.

Conclusion: Innovation with Integrity

We do not fear AI—we fear imbalance. The goal is not to halt progress, but to shape it with foresight. Let us build systems that preserve human relevance, protect dignity, and promote shared prosperity.

 

Pakistan: Loss of Strategic Advantage in Global Trade

 

Taking advantage of national amnesia, different governments in Pakistan have been taking credit of CPEC.  Therefore, it is imperative to keep refreshing our memories of historical events and apportion credit to those who had the vision and prudence to forecast future and act accordingly.

Gwadar was conceptualised in 2001 when Pakistan and China agreed to develop Gwadar Port as a deep-sea port to reduce Pakistan’s reliance on Karachi and create an alternative trade hub.  Thereby reducing urban migration into Karachi and mitigate growing load on city’s infrastructure.  Furthermore, it was a great opportunity creating more business and employment opportunities in Pakistan, especially for locals of Balochistan.  As a side effect smaller towns around the route would have evolved to provide employment opportunities to the natives, hence reduction in urban migration.

The Phase I of Gwadar Port was completed with Chinese funding (~$248 million), in 2007. It was initially operated by the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA). In 2008 the Pakistan government and China formally discussed handing over Gwadar to China, which was to expand the port and develop surrounding infrastructure.

Therefore, actual credit of CPEC initiation goes to Gen Pervaiz Musharaf and his team. It is worthwhile to acknowledge the foresight of Chinese to venture into the project well before announcing their Belt Road Initiative, which was formally announced in 2013.

After the ousting of Gen Musharaf political parties continued their tug of war for power and self interest in CPEC investments.  This self interest resulted in many shady deals whereby Pakistan suffered as a country and individuals thrived.  Such acts by elite compelled Sheikh Rasheed to rightly say "پاکستانی سی پیک پر پنکچرہی لگائیں گے"  .  Since 2008 it has been 17 years and no significant achievement could be recorded at the Gwadar front . As per available statistics, in 16 years from 2007-2023 Gwadar has handled; Imports: 7,362,694 metric tons, Exports: 14,711 metric tons, Combined Total: 7,377,405 metric tons average 38,423 MT per month less than a single vessel load.  As on the date of penning this article, i.e. 21^st Feb 2025 in last 24 hours there has been no maritime activity at Gwadar and no such activity is anticipated in next 30 days.

Main reasons for such low maritime activity were Security Concerns and Slow Development. Both these factors reflect poorly and adversely on the performance of all the governments and LEAs involved.  Since 2007 Pakistan had virgin field to develop and operate alternate trade hub, take advantage of non-competitiveness and help boost its economy.  Unfortunately, elites lust for power, money and credit overcame the requirement of supporting the development and taking appropriate actions to mitigate challenges faced, resulting in loss of opportunity.

China being progressive country and an emerging superpower, was prudent enough to sense the forthcoming issues, started working on alternate plan and successfully executed the same.

 

Below is the map depicting CPEC and alternate routes.  What a shame that an alternate trade hub which was to outshine its neighbouring competitors, has been rendered irrelevant by incompetent, self-centered and myopic elite.

Its better to be late than never, Pakistan can still reverse the situation by taking advantage of geopolitical actions, revisiting its policies, calling off internal tug-of-war and concentrating on economic development of country rather than individuals’ interests.