I recently listened to a long conversation about the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). The discussion focused on AI as an existential threat to human dominance and control of the earth. There is considerable fear that if we are not careful we might build something that will destroy us or at the very least replace us.
It got me thinking about how incredible human minds and bodies are. We have designed supercomputers that are able to do certain things much better than we can, but when you stop to consider the breadth of our abilities, we are really quite a wonder.
What does it take to stand up, walk to the kitchen and get a glass of water? This is an action that is a very basic human function, one that we would normally not think about at all, but is actually really quite amazing. Not only does it require massive computing power but also unparalleled agility, adroitness and dexterity. In addition, we have an awesome ability to solve complex problems, store huge amounts of information on a seemingly infinite hard drive, while keeping it all accessible it any moment we may need it.
What are we breaking?
Other species can do certain things better than humans can but the collection of abilities that we possess, develop and build on from birth is unique. It is what sets us apart and it’s what those who are developing AI are trying to replicate. I don’t think we should worry less about the potential impact of creating AI that could eventually destroy us but something was missing from the discussion regarding the fear that someone at any moment may solve the puzzle by creating something smarter than we are.
We are the dominant species on Earth, often naval gazing in amazement of our magnificent selves, yet no matter how smart we think we are, we are in the process of breaking something smarter, something even more complex and integrated than humans. If we are half as smart as we think we are, perhaps we should think more about how our greed-fuelled behaviour is creating a real existential crisis as we tear away at the biodiversity and ecosystems that sustain life on our planet.
Image by Thomas_Photos from Pixabay
Thanks Adam… always so thoughtful. I see AI as reducing our capacities as humans… already see the reality with calculators replacing our ability to do simple math using our brains, autodial reducing our capacity to retain numbers… the list goes on. I am less afraid of AI’s power and more concerned about the intentional “dumbing down” and giving up of human capacity. (and I promise I won’t use a calculator to solve the math riddle :-))