I Asked an AI Engineer If Robots Will Steal Your Job. His Answer Surprised Me!

The future is not human vs. machine. It is human plus machine

The future is not human vs. machine. It is human plus machine.

Ethics in tech is a messy subject.

We love free apps. We hate surveillance. We want convenience. We fear losing our jobs to robots.

To make sense of this chaos, I sat down with Asfand Yar.

He is an AI Engineer and Automation Expert who specializes in privacy-preserving Machine Learning. He doesn’t just build the systems; he thinks about their consequences.

I grilled him on everything. From hacking to Pakistan’s cyber laws.

Here is what he had to say.

The Ethics of “Just Following Orders”

I started with a heavy question.

Me: As a developer, you hold immense power. If your boss asks you to build a tool that violates privacy, what do you do?

Asfand: That is the classic “professional ethics” dilemma.

He leaned back.

Asfand: In our industry, we have the Software Engineering Code of Ethics. It says the public interest is supreme. If I write code that hurts people, I am responsible. Saying “I was just doing my job” does not fly anymore. We must refuse unethical tasks.

Me: But what if refusing means getting fired?

Asfand: Then you get fired. Morality is expensive. But the cost of breaking the law — or your soul — is higher.

Social Media: Are We Losing Ourselves?

Algorithms show you what you like, not what is true.

We shifted gears to social media.

Me: Algorithms know us better than we know ourselves. Is this killing individuality?

Asfand: Absolutely.

Asfand: Social media creates echo chambers. It shows you what you already like. You stop seeing new perspectives. Eventually, your “individuality” is just a reflection of your feed.

Me: So, freedom of expression is an illusion?

Asfand: In a way, yes. You are free to speak. But the algorithm decides who hears you. That is a dangerous power for a few CEOs to have.

The Legal Minefield: PECA & Privacy

Since we are in Pakistan, I had to ask about the law.

Me: Let’s talk about the **Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016**. Is it doing its job?

Asfand: It is a mixed bag.

Asfand: PECA provided a legal framework for cybercrime, which was necessary. But critics argue it is often used to stifle dissent rather than catch criminals.

Me: And the Personal Data Protection Bill 2023?

Asfand: That is more promising. It aims to protect user data, similar to GDPR in Europe.

Asfand: Currently, companies in Pakistan treat data like a free buffet. This bill could change that. But implementation is key. A law on paper does not stop a hacker.

Cyber laws are strict on paper but weak in practice.

Me: Speaking of data, what about HIPAA compliance?

Asfand: If you work with US healthcare clients, HIPAA is the bible. It mandates strict privacy. Pakistan needs a local equivalent for our hospitals. Medical records here are shockingly exposed.

Hacking: Good or Evil?

Me: Is hacking always bad?

Asfand: No. Ethical hacking is vital.

Asfand: You need “White Hat” hackers to find holes in the system before the “Black Hats” do. It is like hiring a thief to test your locks.

Asfand: However, the line is thin. Unauthorized access, even with good intentions, is illegal.

ot all hackers wear black hoodies. Some save the day.

Me: Can you give an example of a system failure caused by bad ethics?

Asfand: Look at the **Therac-25 disaster**.

Asfand: It was a radiation therapy machine. Due to a software bug and a lack of safety checks, it overdosed patients. People died. That is what happens when you cut corners in engineering.

The Elephant in the Room: Automation

This was the big one.

Me: You are an Automation Expert. Be honest. Are you building tools that will make humans obsolete?

Asfand: (Laughs) I get asked this a lot.

Asfand: Automation doesn’t destroy work. It changes it.

Asfand: Look, nobody cries about the elevator operator losing his job. We moved on.

Asfand: AI will replace repetitive, boring tasks. Data entry. Basic coding.

Me: So, what happens to those employees?

Asfand: They must adapt.

Asfand: We need to move towards “augmented intelligence.” Humans working with AI, not against it. But yes, if you refuse to learn new tools, you are in trouble.

Open Source & Intellectual Property

Me: You use open-source software. Is it ethical to build a paid product on free code?

Asfand: Yes, if you follow the license.

Asfand: Open source drives innovation. It allows us to stand on the shoulders of giants. But you must respect Intellectual Property Rights.

Asfand: If a license says “share alike,” you cannot lock that code away. You must contribute back to the community. It is a cycle of giving and taking.

Conclusion

Technology can be our biggest asset or destruction.

My chat with Asfand was eye-opening.

Technology is not neutral. Every line of code has a moral weight.

We discussed **Information Privacy** and discovered that our data is more vulnerable than we think.

We looked at automation and found hope, not just doom.

The takeaway?

Don’t be a passive user. Understand the tools you use. Demand better laws. And never stop learning.

Because the future is not waiting for you.