In the shadow of silicon and code, we stand at a crossroads that will define not just our own future, but the very essence of what it means to be human. Artificial Intelligence, once the poster child of science fiction, now permeates our daily lives in ways both seen and unseen.
As we rush into this brave new world, we’re confronted with a startling realization:
AI isn’t just changing what we do, and how we undertake it —it’s changing who we are.
Picture this: You’re having a heartfelt conversation about your deepest fears and aspirations. The responses are empathetic, insightful, even profound. Then you realize you’re talking to ChatGPT. This isn’t a hypothetical scenario—it’s happening right now. Individuals increasingly often report feeling a stronger emotional connection with AI chatbots than with human partners as seen in a recent study published on JMIR.
This illustrates on the one hand that humans are not very good at interpersonal empathy.. But it also forces us to grapple with questions that most of us did not ask ourselves before. How do I connect emotionally with another human being? Is empathy unique to humans? Can I be replicated by lines of code?
Differently said – AI is pushing us to question what it means to be human, and, humane. As AI systems become ever more sophisticated in mimicking human interaction, we’re challenged to reexamine the very foundations of our relationships – the building blocks of our emotional lifeline.
Existential Equation
As AI systems tackle increasingly complex problems, from climate modeling to protein folding, we are confronted with a conundrum: If a machine can do it better, faster, and more efficiently, what is our role in society ? This existential quandary came into sharp focus in 2023 when an AI system named AlphaFold2 solved a 50-year-old biology challenge, predicting protein structures with near-perfect accuracy For the involved biochemists, many of whom had dedicated years of their life to this problem, the experience resulted in awe and agony. One algorithmic moment rendered decades of human effort obsolete.
Seeing the prowess of AI on many fronts, from art to science, via management to marketing it is hard to not contemplate the value of one’s own effort, and the time spent in accomplishing a task nowadays. But when your work is linked to your identity then what? Very often our activities and our sense of self are different parts of one equation – being alive.
With the arrival of ChatGTP in late 2019 a sentiment of existential fear has come to echo across all fields, from law to journalism to creative arts. As AI encroaches on domains once thought to be exclusively human, we’re forced to face our own obsolescence—or to radically redefine our purpose.
AGENCY: Practical Steps In An Impractical World
AI challenges who we (think) we are because it touches on our purpose – the why that drives us. As we navigate uncharted territory, here are some concrete steps to not just survive, but thrive in the AI age:
- Activate Radical Self-awareness. Regularly unplug from AI-curated environments. Spend time in nature, in meditation, or in unprompted conversation with humans. Understand your thoughts and feelings without algorithmic interference.
- Grow your personal Ethical Stance: Just as we exercise our bodies, we must exercise our moral reasoning. Engage with ethical dilemmas, not to find “right” answers, but to strengthen your moral muscles.
- Emphasize Human Connections: Prioritize meaningful, perhaps uncomfortable interactions with other humans. Share vulnerabilities, dreams, and fears—elements that current AI cannot truly comprehend or reciprocate.
- Nurture Creativity: Redefine productivity beyond metrics that AI can easily surpass. Focus on qualities like creative problem-solving, empathy, and wisdom that are still distinctly human.
- Cultivate Critical Thinking Skills: Engage in techno-philosophy. Actively question and shape the role of technology in your life and your environment. Join or start discussion groups about the philosophical implications of AI.
- Yield the best of your artificial tools: Instead of competing with AI, learn to work alongside it. Find ways to use AI as a tool to augment your own uniquely human capabilities.
The future of life with AI isn’t about code versus carbon. It’s about curating human AGENCY.
AI may serve to help us see ourselves more clearly—our strengths, our flaws, our inherent potential. As we are cruising this new era, the most important discoveries we might make will not be the consequence of algorithmic acrobatics. It will arise from within ourselves.
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Note – The present article relates to those of us who are privileged. Not only do we have access to the internet, including AI. We had the luxury of growing up in a context where we learned to read. 2.6 billion people lack internet access due to high costs, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of digital skills. This exclusion leads to significant social and economic disparities, limiting education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. (If you are interested in this topic please also check this article on the risk of AI-exclusion.)
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If you are overall interested in the topic of Agency Amid AI for All (A4), please check my previous articles in this series.
Why AI Makes Educators more important than ever
Why AI Inclusion Is A Matter Of Life And Death
Building Hybrid Resilience In A Tech-Dependent World: Lessons Learned
How Can AI Compensate For Age-Related Cognitive Decline.
How To Use AI As A Creative Sparring Partner
Building Hybrid Resilience In A Tech-Dependent World: Lessons Learned
How Can AI Compensate For Age-Related Cognitive Decline.
Harnessing Human Intelligence In An AI-Driven World
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