Building a More Human Future of Work Through Artificial Intelligence
Across Canada, workers and students are navigating a period of profound change. Political
polarization, economic uncertainty, shifting workplaces, and the rise of artificial intelligence are
transforming how we learn, communicate, and connect with one another. While these changes
can feel overwhelming, they also create an opportunity to build a future that is more inclusive
and humane. As someone living with a severe hearing loss, I have learned that technology is
most valuable not when it replaces human relationships, but when it helps more people
participate in them. To create a future of work that benefits everyone, artificial intelligence must
be guided by accessibility, trust, solidarity, and human connection.
Living with hearing loss often feels like trying to complete a puzzle with missing pieces. Every
day, I miss parts of conversations, instructions, and information that others hear naturally.
Sometimes I can fill in the gaps through context, but other times the missing pieces remain
missing. This has made me heavily dependent on my family and friends, who patiently answer
my questions and help me understand things I may have missed. Their support has shown me
that success is never achieved alone. It is built through communities of people who care enough
to help one another.
The most difficult part of hearing loss is not always the inability to hear. It is the feeling of being
different. Throughout high school, I often avoided wearing my hearing aids because I did not
want to stand out. I did not want to be seen as the girl with a disability. Ironically, by trying to fit
in, I sometimes made communication even harder. There were moments when people assumed
I was not listening or did not care about what they were saying, when in reality I simply had not
heard them. These experiences left me feeling frustrated, isolated, and insecure. Like many
people facing barriers, I sometimes felt like I did not fully belong.
My experiences have taught me an important lesson about inclusion: barriers are not always
visible. Many people face obstacles that prevent them from fully participating in school, work,
and community life. Some barriers are physical, while others involve language, learning
differences, disabilities, or access to information. Creating a more supportive future means
recognizing these challenges and ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to contribute their
talents.
This is where artificial intelligence can play a powerful role. I have personally benefited from
tools such as live captions, speech-to-text programs, translation software, and AI-assisted
note-taking tools. Because I do not always wear my hearing aids and because hearing can still
be difficult even with technology, these tools help me understand lessons, follow videos,
organize information, and communicate more effectively. They help fill in some of the missing
pieces. Most importantly, they allow me to participate more fully in conversations, classrooms,
and communities.
However, technology alone cannot create a better future. Artificial intelligence should not be
used to replace human judgment, empathy, or relationships. Instead, it should be used to
strengthen them. AI can help remove barriers by making workplaces more accessible,
translating information for people from different backgrounds, generating captions for meetings,
organizing information, and reducing repetitive administrative tasks. When workers spend less
time on routine tasks, they can spend more time mentoring colleagues, solving problems
collaboratively, and supporting one another. In this way, AI can help strengthen connection
rather than weaken it.
To achieve this goal, AI must be guided by several important values. The first is accessibility.
New technologies should be designed to include people of all abilities rather than creating new
barriers. The second is trust. Workers must understand how AI systems are being used and
have confidence that they are fair, transparent, and accountable. The third is solidarity. As
technology changes workplaces, workers should not be left behind. Employers, governments,
educational institutions, and unions must work together to ensure that people have access to
training and opportunities that allow them to adapt and succeed. Finally, AI must be guided by
human dignity. Technology should support people, not replace their value or worth.
These values have shaped my own approach to helping others. Throughout high school, I have
tutored students in mathematics and science, volunteered with young athletes through softball
programs, and supported friends through difficult circumstances. One close friend experienced
the loss of family members to cancer, and I understood the importance of simply being present
because my own brother previously battled cancer. These experiences taught me that people
do not overcome challenges alone. Progress happens when communities support one another
through uncertainty and change.
As I prepare to attend McMaster University in the Chemical and Physical Sciences Gateway
program, I am still discovering exactly what path I want to pursue. What I do know is that I want
to use science to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Perhaps that will involve
helping people with hearing loss, contributing to scientific research, or finding new ways to
improve accessibility. Whatever direction my future takes, I hope to help build a world where
fewer people feel excluded and more people feel empowered to contribute.
Living with hearing loss has taught me that the strongest communities are not those where
everyone is the same, but those where everyone is valued. Artificial intelligence has the
potential to help create those communities if it is guided by accessibility, trust, solidarity, and
respect for human dignity. The future of work should not be defined by technology alone. It
should be defined by how we choose to use technology to support one another. When AI helps
people connect, participate, and belong, it can become a tool not only for innovation, but for
building a more humane future for all.