How Our Obsession with Superficial Metrics Opens the Door for AI to Eclipse Humanity
In an age where consumerism and materialism increasingly define our societal landscape, a poignant concern emerges: the fear of being supplanted by artificial intelligence (AI). This anxiety, deeply rooted in our collective consciousness, mirrors the transformation of our values and the structures that uphold them.
The basic idea is this: the more superficial we choose to be and the less we focus on meaningful and deep endeavors, the less in touch we are with our humanity. While AI lacks human nature and will never truly replace humans or become so perfect as to truly and fully satisfy human beings in every way, it can definitely replicate or satisfy our superficial pursuits.
Take playing music, for one. If we as a society value artistic, authentic expression alongside beauty, then naturally, we will play and sing from our hearts. Songwriters will write with passion and infuse their personal essence into their music, while singers will sing mightily with their souls. However, if music becomes a mere formula, reduced to a mere replicable and superficial string of sounds with no meaning other than a temporary thrill, then it will lose its human touch. Since AI is a computer program, it can easily replicate mere formulas. If society only upholds music that receives many likes and profit, then a human touch is erased from the picture. As such, if music were to become merely formulaic, such as the musical industry turning music into a mere matter of profit, amount of likes, or appeasing systemically corrupt processes, then humans are no longer necessary—AI can easily drive these processes. In particular, I refer to AI designed specifically to generate music that is optimized to attract the maximum number of likes and profits.
Another manifestation of this is in the context of higher education and its evolving role in society. Whose knowledge is more valuable—a mere AI robot's, or a human's?
The Predominance of Colleges in Society
In America, the education system of colleges points to an institutionalization of learning and personal growth. In themselves, institutions can significantly benefit education, yet education must not revolve around institutions. This is because fundamentally, education, networking, and human development are seen as pursuits that transcend institutional boundaries. They are grounded in personal, relational, and experiential foundations. However, as colleges increasingly become gatekeepers of opportunity, there's a risk that these fundamentally human experiences become commoditized and standardized.
This transformation raises a crucial question: if the value of education and personal growth is measured predominantly by institutional metrics – degrees, grades, accolades – do we not edge closer to a reality where an AI, programmed to excel in these metrics, becomes indistinguishable from, or even superior to, a human?
AI in Education: A Hypothetical Scenario
Imagine that the waves of technology bring an AI programmed with the ability to become more intelligent and the ability to improve its learning over time. Now, imagine that as a training ground, it attends the educational system—alongside us humans. This AI even analyzes and mimics the abilities of the students around it, and can "learn" by taking in the information and updating its hardware as such. It attends classes, completes assignments with precision, engages in extracurriculars, and even garners awards. In a system that increasingly values these institutional metrics, this AI would be indistinguishable from the most successful students.
Now, imagine there are many of these kinds of AIs that each compete with each other and students. Imagine that they earn scholarships, which would essentially mean that the owners of the robots, which potentially could be a series of monopolies, would be paid to send their robots to a particular school. That would be deeply problematic. Could any of us compare with a specialized series of algorithms specifically designed to outperform everyone in school?
But herein lies the paradox: education, in its richest form, is not merely about information acquisition or external achievements. It is ultimately about personal growth, ethical development, and relational depth– facets that are inherently human and resist quantification. Can AI mimic these? Perhaps, to some extent, but it cannot truly embody these factors, because AI fundamentally lacks the human essence necessary for them. But can AI mimic the ability to just take information in and produce an output? Of course! And that's precisely what it'll do far better than humans.
If we continue to prioritize institutional accolades over these deeply human elements, we inadvertently create a space where AI can not only compete but potentially surpass human beings.
The Underlying Fear of Displacement
The fear of being replaced by AI, then, is not just about losing jobs or roles. It's about losing our essence, the very qualities that make us human. In a world where superficial metrics of success are paramount, we risk creating a society tailor-made for AI, not for human flourishing.
In Conclusion: A Call for Depth and Authenticity
As we stand at this crossroads, it's crucial to reevaluate what we value. Do we continue down the path of consumerism and institutionalization, where AI could potentially eclipse our roles? Or do we strive for a society that values depth, authenticity, and the intangibles that define our humanity?
This is not just a question for educators, policymakers, or technologists. It's a question for all of us. As we navigate these tides, let us choose a path that embraces our human essence, cherishing the qualities that AI cannot replicate – the depth of our emotions, the richness of our relationships, and the unquantifiable beauty of our human journey.
________________________________________
This post was crafted with the assistance of AI. The concepts and ideas mostly originated from my reflections.
Comments