By Shazad
“The tragedy of life is in what dies inside a man while he lives - the death of genuine feeling, the death of inspired response, the awareness that makes it possible to feel the pain or the glory of other men in yourself.”
Norman Cousins
“One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.”
Elbert Hubbard
We live on the brink of a new dawn. Artificial intelligence has surged into every aspect of life since late 2022, when ChatGPT became accessible to the public, and the widespread hysteria about its implications has just begun to dominate all media. Which jobs will vanish? How will people earn a living? What will we do with all our free time if AI can handle everything for us? And the questions go on. This human-made tool called AI has certainly become more powerful and widespread over the past few years, but some things have not changed, and that is where our humanity truly resides.
To be human is to have feelings, thoughts, and empathy towards all creatures, especially other human beings. That should not change, regardless of how widespread AI tools and services become. We have to remind ourselves that these tools were designed to help humans live better lives, rather than taking over our consciousness. We should have more time to truly examine ourselves and our world to see how we make it better, safer, and more fulfilling for the largest number of people.
When AI tools can manage some of the heavy lifting in complex research, technical writing, and even driving, we all stand to benefit. That time saved on mundane or dull tasks is time gained and not wasted on undesirable activities. This raises questions about the purpose of our lives. What do we value when we regain some or a lot of our time? Each person must engage in genuine self-reflection and find answers that make sense for them. Some individuals will enjoy more quality time with family. Others might pursue a new skill or learning opportunity. Maybe you want to volunteer some hours in your community or travel to a developing nation to provide much-needed human guidance to youth who need a teacher, mentor, or life coach. Whatever your choice, you and I will need to figure this out very soon.
As powerful and affordable as AI has become for many people, it still has limitations in its code. It doesn’t truly understand or ‘know’ anything at this stage. It may never reach a state of awareness, and that’s okay. Our tools should serve as our servants and helpers, not as our “Masters”. We created the wheel, paper, and the computer to assist us with tasks, not to replace our humanity. There are many limitations and caveats to AI use in the workplace and in daily life. These remind us that AI is not an “Everything” tool for every task. It’s a specific type of assistant, partner, or feedback mechanism to help us do our most important task — thinking for ourselves. We can’t outsource or fall short on that. All data and output from AI must be analyzed and processed by the world’s most sophisticated brain - the human mind. People have developed various technologies and tools around us today, and that includes Artificial Intelligence. Not the other way around!
"Technology gives us power, but it does not and cannot tell us how to use that power. Thanks to technology, we can instantly communicate across the world, but it still doesn't help us know what to say."
Jonathan Sacks
We can oppose, refuse, and attempt to destroy all new technologies as some might suggest, or we can choose to use them to nurture our best selves. First, we develop our tools, then leverage them to improve human life and well-being. Subsequently, we can continue to gain more benefits from these same tools with each new generation of technology and services. There is no end in sight when we handle our tools responsibly, thoughtfully, and with care. Our humanity remains the true measure of our intelligence today and into the future.
Note: This article was first written entirely by a human and improved with AI to fine-tune grammar, spelling, and tone.
Have An Awesome Day!
Want more Awesome writing from us? Go to this link and order your copy of the Awesome Life book today! Click Here to Buy The Awesome Life Book By Clicking Our Affiliate Link Here!