Will humans be replaced by AI?

Technological Advancement - Where are we up to?

“Technology” is any artificial invention that improves human lives. Ever since the beginning of the history of humankind, we have been inventing technology. From stone tools to fire, from wheels to electricity, from cars to artificial intelligence. The advancement of technology is the driving force behind industrialisation and increasing complexity of human society & global development.

In the present day, technology advancement has replaced many human activities which are manual and routine. Inventions such as washing machines and robots have reduced the need for manual labour. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), many routine or lower-order thinking tasks can be automated - such as administration and taking meeting notes. Latest development in Generative AI can even mimic human intellect & creativity such as writing essays and generating art pieces.

Will humans be replaced by AI?

With the advancement of technologies – especially artificial intelligence, robots and automation – many people anxiously ponder: “Will humans be replaced by AI”? The answer would be – yes and no. If we continue to develop people to act like machines, then yes. However, if we develop the unique potential of humans and each individual, then no.

Indeed, AI and automation have replaced many jobs, and will continue to replace more in the years to come. At the same time, new jobs are being created. Naturally, the new jobs require a different set of competencies. For AI to be productive and effective, it requires humans to tell it what to do & how to think (see “prompt engineering”) and refine the AI-generated outputs with human touch for the best outcome. Therefore, “human” competencies such as critical thinking, creativity & originality are becoming more important in the digital era.

In addition, AI lacks the capacity to feel. While on the surface, AI may seem like it can understand emotion, its understanding is limited. Emotions are complex and often unexplainable. Why do we sometimes cry when we’re happy? Or laugh when we’re angry? There are many complex and contradictory emotional responses in humans. With the highly inconsistent data on emotions, it’s extremely difficult for machines to develop the “internal” capacity to feel. Ultimately, emotions are felt, not analysed rationally. Therefore, when it comes to service, care, collaboration and other activities which require emotional connection, humans’ ability to feel, connect and motivate remains evergreen.

Where Humans and Technology Meet

Zooming out, humans and machines have completely different underlying motivations. On the most fundamental level, humans’ basic motivation is to survive and thrive. To do that, we need to flexibly adapt the way we think, feel and act. Humans need emotions to intuitively sense the world, and we need metacognition to intentionally navigate our lives.

On the other hand, machines’ fundamental motivation is to maximise productive output. There is no need to worry about adaptation, death, reproduction, parenting etc. For the effective functioning of machines, there is no need for emotions. The purpose of artificial intelligence is to improve human lives and raise our quality of life.

Humans and machines are fundamentally different. Therefore, the emphasis should not be whether machines will replace humans, but rather, how can humans leverage the potential of technology to create a better life, while focusing on developing our unique human potential. As technologies advance, humans need to further develop “human competencies” as our competitive edge in the modern world. 

How to Avoid Being Replaced by AI

To avoid being replaced by AI, you need to create value that cannot be easily created by AI. For instance, imagine a content creator creating forgettable content that is generic and bland. On the other hand, imagine another creator who shares unique insights, blended with his or her own personal feelings about the topic. Which creator would be more easily replaceable by AI?

How can we become a source of value that AI cannot replace? Much of it comes down to metacognition — our ability to think about our own thinking. When we engage in critical and creative thought, assess our objectives clearly, and define the scope of our work intentionally, we tap into a uniquely human strength that AI lacks.

To further develop your metacognition and unique human competencies that can help you stand out in the age of AI, take a look at the trainings offered by us at Otti Neurolearning Institute. We offer Human-AI Training Programs that help you and your organisation become irreplaceable by AI, no matter how advanced AI become.

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Published on: 19 September 2024 

Written by:  Aster WEI

Edited by: CHANG Yin Jue

© 2024 Centre of Applied Metacognition (CAM)