AI and the Evolution of Humanity

We have legitimate fears of AI. But can AI help humanity evolve to a better place? What is needed for us to get there?

AI evokes fear. Many headlines focus on the future of work as AI takes over jobs. I believe the fear also stems from a more fundamental belief about our individual and collective identity. This identity is best summarized by Rene Descartes in his Principles of Philosophy: Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am.

If AI can think then what remains uniquely human? It’s an existential question. And I believe the answer to the question comes from recognizing that Descartes was wrong.

Thoughts, intelligence, and the self

One of the most insightful ideas to emerge from Eastern spiritual traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism) is that we are more than our thoughts. And this is not an esoteric spiritual idea. Much of our greatest work emerges from mental stillness and not from busy thinking. Newton conceived the theory of gravity not in a lab but while relaxing under an apple tree. Creativity and scientific inspiration often arise from a still mind.

There is a biological basis to this idea that humans possess innate knowledge, i.e. not solely learned from the environment. For instance, a newborn's ability to self-attach and suckle. Similarly, there were many reports of indigenous tribes (and even animals) who sensed the 2005 Indonesian Tsunami before it hit the shores of India and Sri Lanka. Whether we call this intuition, genetically programmed knowledge, or innate behavior, it points to the existence of intelligence beyond conscious thought. There is arguably intelligence at the cellular level. For example, innate immunity, which “is present at birth and does not have to be learned through exposure to an invader.” Some biologists have even theorized that “all biological awareness, sentience and consciousness are grounded in general cell biology.”

In short, my point is that there is a deeper intelligence that we can tap into if we can outsource the surface thinking to AI. And there is a possibility to unlock the next phase of human evolution if we can do that.

AI and the next industrial revolution

Before the industrial revolution, physical strength was essential for survival and success. The industrial revolution shifted our focus from brute force to thinking, leading to an era dominated by information work. As AI begins to handle much of this information work, we are poised for another evolution: I believe that it opens the door for a shift towards consciousness, creativity, and empathy; from constant doing to being. This will be the next stage of human development.

AI will change the nature of work in many ways. Not long ago, people worked six days a week. As productivity increased, we transitioned to a five-day workweek. In the future, we might not need to work 10 hours a day, five days a week. Reduced working hours will give us more time for self-improvement because the work we do will demand higher levels of creativity, empathy, and leadership.

To be clear, we won't stop working or thinking but these activities won't be necessary for survival. Just as we exercise for health and wellness, we will engage our analytical minds to stay mentally healthy and alert.

Moving up Maslow’s Hierarchy

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs nicely sets up the evolution I am talking about. At the foundation of Maslow's hierarchy are physiological and safety needs, including food, shelter, and security. Above these are the needs for love and belonging, followed by self-esteem. At the pinnacle lies self-actualization—the drive to realize our full potential and become the best we can be. If AI can relieve us from menial work, it could provide the time and space necessary for more people to ascend this hierarchy.

With increased productivity from AI, fewer people would need to struggle for survival. This shift would allow individuals to focus on higher-level needs, such as forming meaningful relationships, building self-esteem, and ultimately striving for self-actualization.

The potential of AI lies in its ability to automate lower-level tasks, thereby giving us the freedom to pursue personal growth. However, this promise hinges on ensuring that the benefits of AI are distributed equally. Only then can AI serve as a catalyst for a societal shift towards greater consciousness, creativity, and empathy, allowing more of us to reach the top of Maslow's hierarchy.

Too Good to be true?

I am not naive enough to believe this rosy future is guaranteed. But I do believe it’s in the realm of possibilities. Getting there will require us to tackle a range of issues.

Economic: If AI takes over a lot of work, how do we ensure the resulting value is evenly distributed? Will AI just shift welfare away from labor to owners of capital (i.e. result in more wealth concentration)?

Human-computer interaction: What are the design principles that ensure AI contributes to productivity while upholding broader goals of society (e.g. human participation and relevance)? What needs to change for technologists to internalize these principles?

Neuroscience: What can science teach us about tapping into our creativity, empathy, and leadership?

Regulation: What should governments regulate versus leave for the free market to sort out?

Mindfulness: An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Phones and social media are already contributing to a mental health crisis. If we have more free time, how do we ensure it leads us towards self-actualization?

Education: Industrialization and automation brought with it new lifestyle challenges (e.g. obesity). Similarly, will we become too dependent on AI for intellectual work (put simply, will it dumb us down). We will need to approach education differently in a world where AI can do the “thinking” for us.

I will tackle these questions in each of my subsequent posts if this general theme of AI and mindfulness/self-actualization is of interest to you.