Beyond Algorithms: The Timeless Value of Human Emotions and Imagination
By: Rooz Aliabadi, Ph.D.
Many of my colleagues and friends in education and liberal arts are deeply worried about artificial intelligence, even though they recognize its potential benefits. As someone who also identifies with these fields but has been involved in AI education for the past eight years, I share some of their concerns but remain optimistic about AI’s possibilities while still recognizing its risks.
Ironically, I am optimistic because AI will not be as powerful as many proponents anticipate. AI will only partially replace humans; I see it as a valuable tool. Rather than replacing us, AI will complement our abilities and may even allow us to focus on what makes us uniquely human.
Many fears about AI come from underestimating the human mind. Some view the mind as a computer, believing it’s all about information processing and algorithms. With this perspective, it’s easy to assume that machines will eventually surpass us.
I keep reminding teachers in every classroom I visit this view underestimates what it means to be human. A more accurate view of the human mind recognizes that our actions are not mere processing, computation, or data analysis. Rather, they involve a uniquely human activity that combines conscious and unconscious thought, balancing rationality and intuition, logic, and emotion in a complex, reflective process.
The brain is like its own universe. When I hear tech experts claim they’re building machines that think like humans, I share this with neuroscientist friends, who often say it would be impressive since we still don’t fully understand how human thinking works.
The human mind does much more than predict the next word in a sentence; it has evolved to form bonds and connections with others, seek wisdom rooted in the body, navigate the natural world and avoid its dangers, pursue goodness, appreciate and create beauty, and seek and create meaning.
AI can mimic human thought by synthesizing ideas into coherent strings of words or images. However, this doesn’t mean the AI “mind” is equivalent to the human mind. It lacks consciousness, understanding, biology, self-awareness, emotions, moral sentiments, agency, and a unique worldview shaped by a lifetime of unique, unrepeatable experiences.
Much of human knowledge is similar to how babies develop — unconscious and instinctual. In contrast, AI only has access to conscious language. While AI is good at identifying correlations, it struggles with understanding cause and effect. AI processes information in terms of truth or falsehood but has difficulty grasping narratives and comprehending the concept of time.
Like everyone else, I’m still figuring out where this is all heading. When the internet was first introduced, I wouldn’t have predicted it would profoundly transform industries and society. However, many people are too quick to attribute human characteristics to AI. I agree that AI is an ally rather than a rival — a different kind of intelligence that is more powerful in some ways but also more limited.
AI is already assisting people with tedious tasks like drafting bureaucratic tasks, creating marketing flyers, composing emails, and drafting proposals. It has the potential to become a powerful tutor, transforming education and helping people worldwide learn more effectively. It could make expertise nearly accessible, granting underserved communities access to medical, legal, and other types of advice. Ultimately, AI will enable us to make more informed decisions.
AI may benefit liberal arts graduates. Some believe it will significantly impact those with math skills more than verbal skills, as AI technology is advancing more rapidly at solving math problems than tackling verbal tasks.
AI might also contribute to a more equal world. In areas like coding, AI could enhance the performance of less experienced individuals more than those already skilled. For example, if you are an immigrant writing in a new language, AI can help bring your writing to an average level. It will likely make us significantly more productive.
While it’s true that some people may use AI for harmful purposes, most individuals are well-intentioned. They will use it to learn, innovate, and make significant advancements, like medical breakthroughs. AI’s most outstanding achievement may be reminding us of our humanity by highlighting its limitations. It will encourage us to focus on the activities that make us uniquely human: caring for one another, collaborating effectively, reading deeply, exploring boldly, growing spiritually, finding kindred spirits, and enjoying life.
Despite AI’s transformative impact, I genuinely believe the enduring power of human emotions and imagination remains a fundamental and unchanging truth.
This article was written by Rooz Aliabadi, Ph.D. (rooz@readyai.org). Rooz is the CEO (Chief Troublemaker) at ReadyAI.org
To learn more about ReadyAI, visit www.readyai.org or email us at info@readyai.org.
