This podcast episode is a great example of human intelligence at work. I experienced a dialogue about AI conducted in a uniquely human spirit and presence by both the podcast host, Krista Tippett of On being, and her guest, Reid Hofmann, the former co-founder and executive chairman of LinkedIn, author of the book "Impromptu: Amplifying our Humanity" and a proponent of "supportive and empathetic conversational AI".
This discussion differs fundamentally from other media debates around AI. It does not seek to speculate on whether AI is good or bad for humanity, fueling hopes or fears. Rather, it uses AI as an opportunity to rethink what it means to us to be human.
This talk does not pretend to have answers yet. Nevertheless, it left me with hope rather than fear, because it tries to carve out the fundamental questions it leads us to: 1) AI is not simply a scaled algorithmic promoter of what is out there (the good and the bad). The question is, how AI can be potentially trained to help us become more human, i.e. more kind, compassionate and ethical? 2) Confronting AI helps us to redefine our perhaps too narrow concept of what human intelligence is. What is at the core of being human, if not our cognitive abilities and thinking? Could it be the quality of our relationships? Or perhaps our spirituality and intuition? 3) In any case AI invites - or demands - us to evolve in our human consciousness, realizing that being human is a journey of constant evolution in becoming, accepting, navigating and making sense of paradoxes.
Trying to protect us from AI could be as misleading as trying to protect a child from life experiences. Instead, we should help the child to make sense of experiences, to learn and to develop its strengths in order to continually expand its human consciousness and create a meaningful life. In this light, the perspective that AI could serve to ignite a transformative awakening, learning and deeper understanding of human consciousness fills me with great hope. And on this journey towards a modern-day 'renaissance', I agree with the podcast's conclusion that perhaps the most important question to ask is: How can AI help us become what it means to be (more) human?
