By Dr Asangba Tzudir
In an era where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is very quickly dominating our everyday life, it continues to provoke the question - what does it mean to be a human being? or what is uniquely human when technology and machines are stimulating and effectively governing our lives? AI has come with such a force and effectiveness that we are becoming so dependent on technology like slaves especially with the coming of AI. This dependency is because of the way in which technology and AI has revolutionised the ways in which things can be done with such effectiveness at a very short time and which has helped create works of art. Having become like a ‘readymade’ teacher, adaptability has become the key in order for anyone to progress in this field so also in life.
The evolution of AI tools has only made one realise how much one needs to learn about AI tools besides the fact that learning to adapt will take time. However, as humans, it also raises another obvious question, that beyond human beings as a talking being, what should humans generate which AI cannot? Not just the relevance of being a human but the enduring power of any human being is the potential and capacity to produce ideas. Behind every innovative thing or catalyst of change or development are ideas which have remained the cornerstone of progress, even as technology reshapes the world around us.
As such, any AI tool user may agree on the capacity of an AI tool being a remarkably powerful one. Yet, in spite of its quickness and its surprising package delivery considering the human mind and skill limits, AI cannot or will not become a replacement for human ingenuity that produces ideas. AI tools have become very useful especially for students and also for working professionals, yet, it does not generate ideas. While AI can analyze patterns, synthesize information, and even copy creativity and produce works of art in different fields of activity, it lacks the innate ability to generate and conceptualize ideas that can imaginatively express human experiences and needs. The essence of an idea lies not merely in its execution but in its generation that emerges out of curiosity, intuition, reasoning and emotions.
The revolutions in various fields of human activity, be it science, art, philosophy, economics, politics and governance, religion, culture, etc. all began with ideas through someone who dared to think critically and differently. It was not the tools or technologies that provided the impetus to progress but the ideas that applied those tools as channels to transform the world thereby providing humanity a transformed life, the so called modern. While humans can dream and envisage possibilities and work on it, AI cannot, and for all its capabilities, it does not initiate, rather responds by way of thriving on data, but cannot challenge the status of what human thoughts can produce.
This comparative distinction underscores the importance of fostering a culture that values ideas even more in this age of technology and AI. This puts educational institutions to emphasise and nurture critical thinking ability of learners, and thereby imbibing creativity and ethicalities thereby making one understand the centrality of humans and that humans remain the source of direction and purpose in a world that is increasingly shaped by technology and AI tools. Businesses and governments, too, must focus on harnessing AI not as a replacement for human thought but as a facilitator in strengthening and enhancing the impact of human thoughts and ideas.
However, the rise of AI also demands vigilance because ideas can be manipulated or suppressed in the face of algorithms, and which makes it even more critical to safeguard ideas and its objectivity and unhindered by such constraints. So, the importance of ideas in the face of AI is not just a theoretical postulate but one that has practical imperative. It is the human capacity to imagine a better future, question the status quo, and envisage newer vistas of possibilities that will guide the ethical and purposeful use of AI. Machines may calculate, predict, and even create, but the spark of an idea that is uniquely human, and of human, will always continue to create the pathways for innovation, change and development. It is for humans to strive in this interplay between humans and technology in order to define the relevance and legacy of human beings in this age.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir writes guest editorials for The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
