In movies artificial intelligence is usually depicted with sci-fi images of robots, cyborgs and other dehumanized creatures. For many, the word is misunderstood and creepy. The truth is AI is helping us live more self-actualized lives in more ways than we can imagine. The intersection of AI technology and human communication is a hotbed of activity as chatbots and virtual assistants become requirements for everyday tasks and productivity. The artificial intelligence that powers so many of the products we know and love can be divided into two categories: conversational and experiential.
Customer service chatbots, Siri, airline phone menus and even Google are great examples of the types of conversational AI we encounter in day-to-day life. These examples are designed to help us find and consume information more efficiently. And it works. “Hey Waze tell me how to get there?” “Google, how do I replace an ink cartridge on my printer?”
Does Waze give you a bum direction on occasion and does Google’s return fall short sometimes? Sure, but on average AI extends human efficiency and affords us the possibility to search, filter and find our way through the digital and physical word in ways we never dreamed possible. By way of illustrating the power of AI think of the efficiency we gained when farming was invented and the gains that came by using time typically spent on hunting and gathering for things like language, art and science.
This is the first argument for how AI can make us more human - efficient access to knowledge gives us powerful information coupled with more time to put that information to creative uses. Instead of worrying about computers replacing human skillsets, embrace the possibility of everyone becoming masters of their own destination on a scale never before witnessed.
In addition to finding and consuming information, AI can be used to develop the next generation of ideas, skills and creativity from virtual reality to brick and mortar architecture.
Imagine a world where expressing your thoughts and ideas creatively is enhanced by machine learning, and not limited by technical ability. Imagine a world where computers understand the information you share so well that they help you express your thoughts more vividly than you ever deemed possible.
People often have great ideas for an invention that could change the world or make life better, but very few ever realize their vision. In a world powered by experiential AI, a 4 year old could create applications; people who can’t see could visualize the world. New domains will emerge bigger than any industry we’ve seen that accentuates creativity and the human spirit.
Again by way of illustrating the possibility, and the limitations, compare the first three Star Wars movies from the 1970’s to the ones that came out a few years back. The first set by comparison were low tech, but undisputedly better because the story, screenplay, character development and acting. The recent trilogy was more sophisticated and driven largely by AI. But without the humanity, they fell flat and felt more like product demos than living stories.
On the topic of storytelling, most people find it difficult to articulate an everyday experience to friends/family. No matter how many adjectives used, your friend simply wasn’t there and usually can’t fully imagine your experience. Enter AI. Experiential AI allows anyone to share their emotional perspective on how they see and feel life.
AI is being used across almost every field from video, music, cooking, photography and virtual reality. Imagine a virtual reality version of MineCraft that incorporates video, photography and recorded sounds from your day - recreating a scene from your life. No script, no acting. Just you sharing that first person perspective with the help of AI.
On the functional end of the benefit spectrum, AI can help people have immensely richer communication. On the emotional and psychological end, it has the potential to change the scale and impact of human empathy. Think of what the invention of empathy at scale can do for the quality of the human condition.
In short, AI lowers the bar to be creative, expressive, productive and raises the potential quantity and quality human output. People still need to conceive ideas and direct the spirit that drives those ideas. But machines can help implement and realize an idea using science. The partnership of people and machines opens up endless possibilities. At this point no one knows what the endgame is going to be, or how far we are going to push AI. But to be certain the transformative creativity that comes from leveraging AI paired with good old imagination is going to be extremely unique and endlessly fascinating. Through AI the realm of the impossible is becoming possible at an accelerated rate and so to is our humanity.