AI – What does it mean for us?

Not assisted by AI.

AI has already changed our lives. I keep an old map book under the passenger seat of my car, and as my children grew, I would pass them the book and ask them to navigate to our destination. Each time, they found it confronting. Complained. Incredulous at the mental effort required for something that our phones do for us reliably, accurately and with no effort, and that our children take entirely for granted.

Make no mistake. AI is both a tidal wave that has hit us, and is a bomb that has gone off. If you don’t believe me, think of just one example. AI provides a coach for every school subject to every child in the world – right now, free. Does this make us all smarter or dumber? Perhaps it empowers children that are disadvantaged, but have energy and motivation to achieve greater things.

The AI commentators talk about the imminence of AGI – Artificial General Intelligence, and even ASI – Artificial Super Intelligence. Let’s check in with ChatGPT and Gemini to see what AGI is:

ChatGPT: AGI, or Artificial General Intelligence, refers to a type of artificial intelligence that has the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide range of tasks, much like a human can.

Gemini: Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is essentially a type of AI that mimics human intelligence.

Fair enough, but the words ‘Mimics human intelligence’ make me feel sceptical.

Clearly machines working with advanced data processing software can do wonderful things. It is superfast, and it is proving to provide huge benefits working alongside us to help us be more efficient, more productive, and to learn and assimilate fantastic amounts of information and insights that were previously not possible. But…

… machine based AI systems are not born and do not die. They don’t feel pain. They don’t love or hate, or fear. They don’t choose what is good, or bad. So far, no AI engine has sent a message to his master, uninvited, to raise concerns about the effect of AI on humans.

Importantly, AI systems don’t vote. They don’t choose our governments and can’t directly influence our collective will. But, as we have seen in recent years, algorithms working with massive data and social media can influence our attitudes, voting and election outcomes – escalating the battle between truth, doubt and confusion. Ultimately the energy and will of humans will be the driver our ability to survive and be something we can be proud of.

To understand AI and AGI (artificial general intelligence) we need to combine our thinking with what it means to be human. The central concepts of humanity are how to survive, how to live comfortably and aspire to higher possible thoughts and achievements. We might want to contribute to or help others, or possibly not bother at all. We can choose to take everything we need with little regard for others. Some foster and nurture their souls in accordance with higher beliefs. Others couldn’t give a whit.

In general, we care about ourselves, and we care about others. We also paint a picture of ourselves and our world. We adopt an identity and often join others that identify with us. And we tell stories. All these things come from our love, our pain, and our fears.

Machines will never do these things because they run on electricity and silicon. They do not have blood running through their veins. They don’t get splinters when bare footed. They don’t get tooth ache and their hair doesn’t fall out. They care for sick children or aging parents. They don’t experience tragedy or depression. They don’t age at all, and they don’t ponder the vastness of the ocean or the intrigue of the night sky.

AI models are now writing songs, telling stories, and creating pictures and videos. But is anything created by a machine actually art? I want to fight against that notion. Things that are produced by a machine don’t represent me as a human, and I very much doubt these artifacts will inspire me or add something special to my life. For me, artwork represents the person that created it. It connects me to their life, their joy, and their pain. It connects me to their story and because of that connection, it makes me feel something.

Will machines and AI move the world. Will they create new knowledge? Can they make leaps forward like Newton or Einstein, standing on the shoulders of Maxwell and Faraday. Newton himself wrote in a letter 1675 “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”

AI is definitely going will help us make significant advancements in knowledge and our understanding of life and the universe. It will help us create new pharmaceutical drugs and will drive changes the production of food and energy. But it will not make breakthroughs that change our world in the way that some of our forefathers and mothers did. Not in the way that modern thought leaders can.

With all the advancements in technology, energy, manufacturing and medicine, I still have coffee and toast for breakfast. I miss my daughter who is staying overnight with friends and I have a sore back and a splinter in my foot that is too small for my wife to see. Nevertheless, I am having dinner tonight with friends, and I look forward to photographing the menu and asking ChatGPT what I should have.

Footnote: We had a lovely dinner. The menu was great but short and simple, so alas there was no reason to snap it with my camera a check in with ChatGPT. But the wine list was daunting. I am not a wine buff. The reds ranged from $50 to $1,800 (it was a special occasion). I snapped with my phone, flicked it to ChatGPT 4. Within seconds it recommended one of the lower priced bottles and advised me of its features and that it had an exceptionally high score on the international wine ratings. It also suggested a second, higher priced bottle, that had interesting features. The food and wine were both great together with an interesting discussion with friends who were intrigued with this new ChatGPT thing I was using.