The Future of My Work in the Age of AI

PBS' Age of AI documentary The Future of Work felt more like a warning shot across the bow of every college syllabus in America when I watched it.  It's reorganizing entire industries by automating repetitive parts and breaking jobs into tasks. That includes social media and marketing. That includes me. 

As a student at High Point majoring in social media, I imagined a future career based on creativity. My dream was to brainstorm campaigns for companies, create brand personalities, design visuals, write captions that connect, and turn storytelling into a career. AI doesn't take that vision, but it does change it. 

Now your chatbot can make captions, suggest hashtags, edit videos, design graphics, analyze engagement data, and even build full campaigns in seconds. That's both thrilling and unsettling. Ai will shrink the number of entry level job opportunities post grad. 

But here's an interesting part. AI is good at production. I don't think it's good at actual perspective. It can create patterns, but it can't live experiences. It can process data, but it doesn't understand a business's authentic culture. 

The biggest question for me is how AI affected my future when I began HPU. I wanted to work in sports marketing, social media, and brand storytelling. That dream still stands, but the skillset has expanded. I need to become someone who can use AI as a tool without dependency on it. I need to build a personal brand rooted in my personal creativity.   

For my final project, I want to explore what an AI ready, future proof social media professional looks like. What skills actually matter? What tasks will disappear?  And most importantly, how do we stay creative in a world where machines generate infinite content? 

AI is not the end of my field. It is the beginning of a new version with helpful tools along the way. Work's future is not between humans versus machines. It is a human plus machine. The question is whether we are prepared to lead that partnership. 

 

Online Privacy

Online Privacy

It may seem like when you're in the comfort of your own home and scrolling in your free time after your day over, that's when your private life starts. Wrong. If your cellphones are on you, the government knows your every step. Most people don't understand how much data the government takes from us. Have you ever  noticed that when you're talking about something like a new microwave or a new pair of sneakers that you'll suddenly start getting added to them on social media, yea scary, and it's not just a coincidence.

In class we watched two eye opening TedTalks about online privacy. Emails go through many layers before reaching the receiver of the email. You're not the first person to read it even if it's nothing suspicious. The government claims it's so they will have it in case they need information if you become a criminal, but if it's not criminal behavior, it just seems like a huge invasion of privacy. 

As a social media student who frequently puts their life on the internet, I understand that my digital footprint will be monitored by future employers and that seems competently rational and smart by a company to do a background check. But the government seeing everything I have ever sent to my family seems inhumane and scary. 

I think the government shouldn't be able to watch over our every move unless there's a reason prompted to it. There should be privacy restrictions on what they can or can't see. Yes, they don't usually leak inappropriate information for no good reason, but it's just the fact that they could, and you'd have no idea who or why. 

                                                                                                  Facebook is the biggest social media platform for ads. When you're talking to your friends about how much you miss your dog then suddenly you get ads for dog toys or looking up a new jacket they for three days straight you get ads for jackets. This is the government giving access to companies what your interests are. Some people like this and it works well for businesses to reach their target audiences. 

Overall, we need to learn to be cautious about what we put out for the world to see on the internet. It can be a scary place and follow you forever if you aren't responsible.  

Eight Values of Free Expression

 Blog Post #3: The Eight Values of Free Expression

The First Amendment isn't just a rule made up some time ago to set standards. We use it in everyday things like communication, imagination, challenging ideas, and sharing stories to show it. Throughout history, free expression has shaped how society grows and how individuals find their voices. Out of the eight values of free expression, I like the Marketplace of Ideas, bringing individual ideas together.

The Value I Connect With Most

For me, the Marketplace of Ideas feels incredibly real in my daily life. As a student who spends a lot of time on social media for both personal use and digital marketing, I observe this market regularly. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter serve as modern public spaces where opinions, trends, and political debates are discussed. There are ugly moments to inspiring moments, but it is always powerful and it is our future.

In my experience, I have witnessed a spread of ideas and rapid change about free expression. With to being exciting, that also comes with responsibilities. Especially when it comes to things such as political debates, public health concerns, or just about any social controversy which can affect the market in negative ways. As platforms began to label false information and check accuracy, I realized how real the truth can be when everyone has a finger to post whatever they want on the internet. The fact that everyday people can participate in public discourse at all is something I take for granted.

Personal connection

As both a college athlete and a social media student, I have learned how important it is to develop my own platform and protect my online reputation. Through social media and online platforms, I have explored who I am beyond being an athlete. My expression allows me to grow, as well as pursue my love for social media.

The creators, athletes, and singers who turn personal passion into something meaningful inspire me. Seeing people create from their dorm rooms and sharing on the internet what they like / hate about college and other things i relate to such as sports makes me comforted. Which relates the marketplace of ideas to how the digital age we are in now is so important.

                                                                                        Everyday Use

media is used by millions every second of every day and it obviously comes with freedom of speech. The help to harm ratio is very controversial depending on people's opinions. My everyday use of freedom of speech is to review anything I buy. When I am debating on buying something or just want to know if it is worth it, I find it to be extremely helpful. And reviewers aren't shy to say how they truly feel about products.

Cancel Culture

An extremely negative way it is used is for cancelling culture online. Like i mentioned about online reputation , this generation is over the top to let celebrities know when they did something wrong. Often going above and beyond to try to tear down the rest of their lives and ruin their careers.

Final thoughts

There is no unifying theory for free expression values. Their presence can be found in social media postings, huge protests, and conversations. I believe the Marketplace of Ideas creates connections, builds confidence, and protects fairness through checks on authority. In digital media and marketing, they shape how I learn, communicate daily, and are a huge part of my life. It is not just a right to be able to speak freely. It's about growth, and identifying yourself are vital tools in today's world.