Learning systems are fascinating, particularly human ones. Our ability to learn enables limitless interactions. In its prime, social interaction becomes the primary ground on which the human mind spends most of its time learning and localizing. Consider social norms, fandoms, politics, and even the economy. The economy, too, isn't concrete—it's a complex interaction of humans. Many people spend most of their daily conscious time making these systems work. Ironically, we're so involved in these systems that we fail to acknowledge our involvement is responsible for this emerging phenomenon.
The Current State of AI
Modern-day AI presents a peculiar situation. My understanding of AI differs from the prevalent tech industry narrative and even more from public opinion. The public view is highly polarized, often limited to the viral success of ChatGPT. More technologically savvy individuals might be familiar with other states of the art, while actual machine learning and statistics are exclusive to professionals.
We're at a point in history where humans must accelerate their adaptations and become more original than ever—not out of boredom, but out of necessity to preserve human creativity and curiosity.
AI as an Information Medium
I encourage readers to see AI, or more narrowly, AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), not as an entity or an impersonation of a human. Instead, envision these models as information mediums, enabling humans to access and produce information at unprecedented speeds. Consider how the invention of writing revolutionized the spread of information, followed by the printed word, and then the Internet. Similarly, language models, text-to-image, text-to-video, text-to-voice and other models are poised to create another leap.
The $600 billion bet¹ on the AI industry will have far-reaching consequences, many of which are impossible to predict. However, one thing is clear: this information medium will become increasingly efficient. Where efficiency is found, usage will increase². I propose we call this the point of the singularity³ and embrace it. I invite you to join me on this journey.
The Value of Originality
In a world where produced content has value, tools that generate it equally well at a fraction of the cost or time will smother less efficient content production methods. The exception is an original idea. Your new original content is that which models don't know yet—novel, perhaps a little absurd, but original and feasible. Original solutions are those that haven't been invented yet and are not a direct consequence of known data.
A key concept for navigating this new landscape is synergy. Synergy occurs when the combined effect of a system is greater than the sum of its individual parts. Humans are capable of creating great things together, far greater than they could individually. I don't see AI changing this fundamental human capability. On the contrary, imagine collaborating with the entirety of human knowledge to exponentiate your ideas. For instance, in healthcare, AI is already assisting with clinical diagnoses⁴, combining vast medical databases with real-time patient data to support human doctors in making more accurate and timely diagnoses. This synergy between human expertise and AI capabilities exemplifies how we can leverage technology to enhance, rather than replace, human creativity and problem-solving.
Creating the Future
Remember that our involvement in systems actually creates the emerging system. My invitation to participate in this AI endeavor, if successful, will create a culture of AI integration practice and, in fact, collapse singularity. This is acceptable, but under one condition—it must be anchored in the principle of perpetual positive progress for humankind, leaving no room for detrimental outcomes. To achieve this lofty goal, we must focus inward, becoming responsible practitioners and stewards of this transformative technology.
Let's begin this journey together.
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¹ "AI's $600 Billion Question," Sequoia Capital, accessed August 11, 2024.
² Also known as Jevons Paradox.
³ Singularity, in this context, refers to a pivotal moment in Artificial Intelligence development where it becomes an unprecedented accelerator of information processing and creation, leading to widespread adoption and potentially unpredictable societal changes.
⁴ "Successful Real-World Use Cases For LLMs (And Lessons They Teach)" Forbes Technology Council, accessed August 11, 2024