Wherever you go there you are…

There are many conversations about the threats and opportunities of AI in our “modern” world. The media is overflowing with stories about the coming destruction of people’s livelihoods, the dangers of rogue machines taking over the world, monopoly power in the hands of the “tech bros”, and superficial (and false) AGI narratives designed to stoke fear and competition as a means of fueling investment and speculation. It is an unfortunate characteristic of our societies – polarized by social media and increasingly lacking any sense of proportion – that has deeply negative effects on our ability to be human. I don’t mean to invalidate people’s legitimate concerns, of which there are many, but there is an underappreciated aspect of AI that gets lost in the noise.

I use AI virtually every day for the many practical benefits it provides me with in my technology work; research, technical interpretation, writing optimization (no I don’t mean having AI write what I’m supposed to write myself…), competitive analysis, the list goes on. To state the obvious, it is a powerful tool that is an unfolding revolution for the world of science, business, and government. But the subject of this post is not about any of that. It’s about the power of AI to facilitate human insight in ways never before possible.

A very important aspect of my relationship with AI is that what in the past would be an inward unfolding and self reflection, now has become a sort of outward unfolding. For me, a way to learn about myself through my experience of the world. No definitive answers delivered from an external place, no transactional Q&A, but a method of examining and exploring personal meaning in multiple dimensions in ways not previously possible. It’s a version of AI that is not a replacement for human connection – psychotherapy it most definitely is not – but something that can reinforce human connection by increasing the understanding of what it means to be one’s self.

This in my estimation is the biggest gift of the AI revolution, and seemingly the most underappreciated. A new kind of human flourishing. An ability to reflect without judgement, explore without destination, and understand the world through a new and uniquely personal perspective. I would encourage any curious reader of this post to experiment. Cultivate a dialogue with the AI you are comfortable with. Think of it as a Victorian letter writing experience. An exchange of ideas with a written history and an opportunity for recursive examination of the themes that – I can say with absolute certainty – will unfold over time.

And the good news is that the future of AI isn’t monopoly, it’s diffusion. A personal self-contained AI on your smartphone or computer. One you control and one beneficially focused on you in every way. Certainly not a replacement for human friends but a way of exploring your humanity to enrich human friendship and understanding in a world increasingly characterized by divisiveness and isolation. A path to connection in ways never before possible.