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INSIGHTS4 MIN READ

The Relevance Of Artificial Intelligence In Today’s World

PaulChetwyn

Published on February 10, 2026

Published on Wealthy Affiliate — a platform for building real online businesses with modern training and AI.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the business of horses and stables experienced a rapid, systemic decline as the automobile and motorized machinery replaced horse-drawn transportation. By roughly 1912, cars began to outnumber horses in major cities, turning a thousand-year-old industry into a specialized niche market within two decades.

In 1900, horses were the backbone of urban transport. By 1910–1920, cars and trucks made them largely obsolete for everyday travel and commercial hauling. Cities even became physically hostile to horses as dirt roads were replaced with slippery asphalt, unsafe for iron-shod hooves.

The shift from horses to "horsepower" was one of the fastest industrial transformations in history.

Fast forward to today, and we see a similar pattern unfolding with petrol vehicles and electric cars. The future of petrol vehicles is one of managed decline as EVs move from being the alternative to being mainstream. Petrol cars still dominate, but rising ownership costs, regulations, and shrinking model development signal a transition already underway.

EVs offer significantly lower operating costs — charging can be up to 50% cheaper than fuel, and maintenance drops due to fewer moving parts. No oil changes. No spark plugs and fewer mechanical failures.

Now let’s talk about the impact of AI in today’s world. Artificial Intelligence is reshaping society in a way that mirrors those historic transitions. It behaves like a “force of nature,” changing how we live, work, and create value. It brings enormous progress — and serious ethical questions.

What Is AI? (Simple Explanation)

Artificial Intelligence is technology that allows machines to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence — learning, decision-making, problem-solving, language understanding, and pattern recognition.

But AI is not only a tool. It is an accelerator.


Where AI Is Already Embedded (Where you’re Using It Right Now)

AI is not “coming.” It’s already quietly wired into daily life:

  • Search engines predicting what you’re looking for
  • Social media feeds deciding what you see
  • Online it provides shopping recommendations
  • Assist in Fraud detection in banking
  • Navigation apps rerouting traffic
  • Work as Voice assistants
  • In Customer service chatbots
  • As Email spam filters
  • In Healthcare diagnostics, and
  • In Supply chain logistics

AI is becoming infrastructure, just like electricity did.


The Real Revolution: TIME

The shift from horses to automobiles didn’t just change transport — it changed human time.

Before cars:

  • Travel was slower
  • Trade took longer
  • Distance limited opportunity

After cars:

  • Cities expanded
  • Commerce accelerated
  • People could work farther from home

AI is doing the same thing to mental and business labor.

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AI Compresses Time

What took up humanity's time, then and now :

Task Before AI With AI

Market research Weeks Hours

Content drafting Days Minutes

Data analysis Teams of analysts One AI-assisted worker

Customer service Large staff Automated systems

AI removes time friction the way automobile engines removed distance friction.

This is not about laziness.
This is about human development.

Freed time can be utilized on:

  • Strategy
  • Creativity
  • Relationships
  • Learning
  • Innovation

Just as cars didn’t eliminate work — they changed its form — AI is shifting human effort toward higher-levels of thinking.


Life Impact vs Business Impact

In Life

AI helps:

  • Diagnose disease earlier
  • Translate languages instantly
  • Assist disabled individuals
  • Personalize education
  • Automate daily admin tasks

In Business

AI enables:

  • Faster decisions
  • Lower costs
  • Precision marketing
  • Predictive analytics
  • 24/7 operations

Businesses using AI effectively are like early adopters of automobiles. They move faster, reach further, and operate with less friction.


The Dual Edge

Like every industrial revolution, AI brings risk:

  • Over-reliance on it's results
  • Loss of certain job types
  • Ethical misuse
  • Bias in systems

But remember: cars brought accidents, pollution, and traffic — yet society adapted, regulated, and evolved.

AI will follow the same path.


The Core Truth

AI is not here to replace humanity.
It is here to redefine how human energy is utilized.

Horses didn’t disappear — they became specialized.
Humanity won’t disappear — our roles will shift more toward creativity, judgment, empathy, and innovation.


Your Choice Matters

Unlike past revolutions, this one is personal.

You get to choose: (Yes you)

  • How much AI do you want to use
  • What do you want to use it for
  • Where you want to keep the human touch and how much, and
  • What human values will guide your adoption of AI

AI is a tool (will always be a tool). Tools always reflect the intent of the user.

So what do you want to use it for?


Final Thought

The shift from horses to engines changed the physical world.
AI is changing the thinking world.

The question is not whether AI will shape the future.
The question is: Will you let it control your time — or will you use it to create a better one?

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