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Generative AI is transforming how we work and live. By replicating language and creating written content, images, and even music, this technology is stepping into areas once thought to be exclusively human. As machines’ verbal and cognitive abilities improve, people are beginning to wonder: What unique qualities will humans keep in a world dominated by generative AI?
Over 50 years ago, Stanley Kubrick’s film “2001: A Space Odyssey” offered a glimpse into the future of AI. In the movie, a computer named HAL 9000 interacts with its human crew, manages the spacecraft’s technical tasks, and even wins a friendly game of chess with an astronaut. HAL is interviewed remotely by a news reporter, who later observes that HAL seems to exhibit pride when discussing its technical abilities. When asked if HAL can feel emotions, the crew expresses doubt, highlighting that emotions are still uniquely human.
Contrary to HAL’s conversational prowess in fiction, computers traditionally struggled with language. However, generative AI has since revolutionized natural language processing. Now, chatbots and large language models can understand and respond to questions and commands effectively. In an impressive example, AI passed the Turing test, convincing human judges that it was a person.
Despite AI’s advancements, humans possess unique qualities beyond the reach of machines. These include emotions, creativity rooted in imagination, original thinking, and complex problem-solving that requires intuition and cognitive flexibility. Morality and ethics, which guide human decision-making, are uniquely human as well, since AI lacks the experience of being part of society.
Another distinctly human feature is our ability to process sensory experiences—sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch—all of which are intertwined with our memory. These senses create a complex and uniquely human experience that technology struggles to replicate.
Mirror neurons are another example of human uniqueness. These neurons activate both when an individual performs an action or feels an emotion and when they observe the same in others. First discovered in primates, mirror neurons are crucial for empathy, competition, and teamwork. While AI can infer emotions, it cannot experience them.
As generative AI evolves, organizations face the challenge of managing, controlling, and regulating this technology. According to McKinsey, business leaders must consider the broad implications of generative AI. Many executives are cautious, aiming not to repeat past technological oversights, and are developing strategies to implement AI responsibly. This includes ensuring compliance with emerging regulations to maintain data privacy and security.
Traditionally, technology has reshaped the job market. As AI continues to change our work landscape, society must decide which tasks to delegate to machines and which to keep human. It’s important to remember that just because technology can do something, it doesn’t necessarily mean it should.
Reflecting on the impact of AI in society, it’s striking how accurate the predictions of futurist Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick were in their screenplay from the 1960s.
Richard Sonnenblick is the chief data scientist at Planview.
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