Mind and Machine

a first few notes on a complex topic (part 1 - intro)

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Arthur C. Clarke (scientist and science fiction writer)

Arthur Clarke (picture above) British mathematician and physicist, science fiction writer and co-author of the famous “2001: A Space Odyssey” formulated three philosophical aphorisms as part of his extensive writings about science and the future, sometimes referred as “Clarke’s Laws”:

1. When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.

2. The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.

3. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Generative A.I feels like magic, however true magic happens in the analog world.

ChatGPT showed up at our doorsteps without advanced notice. One day Generative AI “did not exist” for most of us, and the next day it was everywhere.

In fact its adoption curve has been the fastest of any technology / internet platform ever. It reached the mark of one million users in only 5 days when it launched in November 2022. It seems that as “searching” has dominated the Google era, “prompting” will become the new verb of the ChatGPT (generative A.I) era.

We all read scary stories about how we will be replaced by machines and become obsolete, however I think that the most accurate and inspiring picture of the future was painted by a colleague I was actually last week in a work meeting,

“A.I will not replace doctors, but doctors that use A.I will replace doctors that don’t”.

I can’t predict how exactly the future will be impacted by the exponential growth of A.I; but I know we have to embrace technology, learn how to use it and shape a synergistic future between machines and humans. Shape a world where computing power, machine learning and generative algorithms will enable, accelerate and make more efficient most tasks; but framed, protected and enhanced by unique human strengths such as morality and values, ethical behaviors, empathy, collaboration, creativity and innovation, judgement of behaviors in context, critical thinking, team work, talent development and nurturing, smart questioning, caring for others, execution excellence through high performing dynamics…

We need to find balance between these two, to ensure that AI is used for the betterment of humanity and not for harm.

We cannot lose our humanity in a race with the machines. We win by becoming the finest humans being we can be, by making A.I complementary to us, so we can then tap into its full potential to make this a better world; not to alienate the human condition.

The Magic of Human Creativity

The magic is analog, it lies in power of us, and in human ingenuity.

As author and entrepreneur Seth Godin once said, "The magic is not in the machine, but in the way we use the machine. It's not about what technology can do, it's about what we can do with technology."

The convergence of mind with machine is not a new concept. It has been a topic of science fiction for decades, however now it is becoming a fast paced reality. As A.I becomes more advanced, it has the potential to augment human intelligence and enable us to achieve things that were considered previously impossible.

However, the integration of AI into the workplace requires a shift in mindset. We must be willing to learn and adapt. The power of A.I to change the professional world is immense, but the magic of the analog world, the value of human creativity and innovation, and the power of human interactions cannot be replicated by machines.

A.I will not replace humans, but humans that use A.I will replace those that don't.

For this reason, it is an imperative that the technology and the subject matter experts move into the business to learn it and become an integral part of each area where there are problems to solve in which A.I can have a role to play; and not to remain as specialized tools within the IT department. It has to move from consultant to strategic partner.

As we move forward into this new era of work, let us remember that the magic lies not in the technology itself, but in the way we choose to use it. Let’s use it wisely, let’s use it boldly, let’s use it carefully.

to be continued …

P.S. Before I go, here you have “The Treat,” where I share some of the music that kept me company while writing … Enjoy as you bid farewell to this post

“Lead yourself, Learn to live. Lead others, Learn to Build.”

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