If you open basically any website that offers news, you’ll see a story about AI increasingly (and quickly) replacing the jobs of human workers. Louisiana tends to lag behind most of the nation when it comes to modern tech trends … will Louisiana be a bit behind adopting the AI revolution as well? Could that actually have a positive impact on jobholders within the state? In New Orleans, the service industry is a huge driver of the local economy.
Can AI imitate fascinating conversation with a great bartender or a waiter giving their personal touch, ensuring you have a memorable experience in one of our historic restaurants? Not likely, but the tech keeps advancing in surprising ways. As the rollouts of this technology become ever more advanced, it’s hard to look into a crystal ball and predict exactly where we’ll be 10 years down the line or more.
LSU Economist Dr. Jim Richardson says the revolution is coming, whether or not the world (or the state of Louisiana) is ready. “We are still in the very early stages of artificial intelligence, but companies have shown that they will take advantage of it if it’s profitable. That’s already happened with previous technologies that industries have accepted,” notes Richardson.
From the Industrial Revolution to the age of the internet, this seems like another technological sea change that might be speculated about wildly, but its full impact will only be seen in retrospect.
New Orleans’ ever-vital tourism industry isn't likely to be impacted directly by artificial intelligence, as plenty of people will still want to visit the Crescent City for the food, drinks, and culture. However, Dr. Richardson thinks there may be some blurring of the lines when it comes to which duties are relegated to humans and which are done by AI as the tech advances.
“Hotels may use it in terms of booking and other things, but those industries still need interpersonal interaction and manpower,” Dr. Richardson emphasizes.
Ultimately, the hospitality industry has to remain hospitable to those visiting New Orleans (and in other great American cities). No matter how integrated AI becomes in our daily lives, those legitimate connections between fellow human beings will remain vital.
Other industries may be changed forever or wiped out completely, but the hospitality industry of New Orleans is heavy on the hospitality ... and people are likely to continue seeking out other actual people in the foreseeable future when they visit the Crescent City to create lasting memories.