Are We Offloading The Meaning Of Life To Artificial Intelligence?
It’s time we start asking different questions about AI. The question is no longer when (it’s here), is no longer whether AI will be taking over jobs from humans (it already is), and is no longer even whether AI will be able to pass the Turing Test at some point (let’s assume it will). The questions we need to start asking about AI are much more fundamental to our purpose here on earth, and, if you choose to take it there, spiritual.
We are already offloading complex computational tasks to AI. We are already offloading light-weight creative tasks to AI (see how my company, Ideasicle X, is doing that here). We are already offloading all forms of writing and image/video creation to AI. It’s all very exciting and new, but in our excitement could we offload too much? At what point will we be giving AI more than the useful stuff, but the stuff that makes human life meaningful, authentic, and mysterious? The stuff that gives us purpose?
More starkly, at what point will we start offloading the meaning of life to artificial intelligence?
Now I’m not going to pretend I know 100% what the meaning of life is. No one does. But if you believe that life is given meaning through experiences, positive and negative, difficult and easy, fun and not-so fun, then my question about AI is in the right ballpark.
Will our individual lives be meaningful?
At an individual level we grow up, we try our best to find ourselves, we do things to survive, we mature to varying degrees, hopefully enjoy more than we didn’t, and then we check out. Our progression through those stages are the result of existing, thinking, reacting, creating, trying, mistaking, fixing, failing, succeeding, and generally experiencing.
How will AI affect this progression if it is handling not just complex computational stuff, but the human stuff? Will we “find ourselves” more quickly or less quickly or not at all? Will we “mature” as quickly or as maturely? Will we look back and marvel at our accomplishments when we’re old and nearing the end? Will we have accomplishments? I guess what I’m asking is this: is there a line we should not cross when it comes to offloading to AI, where we start throwing the baby out with the bathwater?
But it’s more than than just our own personal growth.
Is a player-piano really playing piano?
Much of life’s enjoyment (meaning of life?) comes from our interactions with each other. We go to an art gallery to be wowed by the brilliant expression of an artist’s humanity. To see a painting that moves us is to see how far a human being can go in the world of art, to marvel at what he or she has created, to be inspired maybe to try it ourselves. Art is beautiful not only because of its asthetic appeal, but because it is concrete evidence of a life story unfolding. An artist’s entire life led to this painting. All of his/her experiences. It’s amazing to contemplate, it’s impressive, and it’s inspiring because we are witnessing humanity at work.
And it’s why we go to concerts and sporting events. To see the greatness in other human beings like us, and to see it live. Perhaps underneath the enjoyment of witnessing this greatness in others is a satisfaction that we are also human beings. We see greatness in others and think, go humans! Go us! Maybe I can do that.
If AI writes music or creates art, will the experience be the same? Even if it’s the most incredible, better-than-Mozart, piece of classical music, will human beings enjoy it as deeply as they would the real Mozart?
Imagine if the PGA Tour where the players were highly sophisticated robots embedded with AI. The robots step up to the tee, use gps to identify exactly where they want the ball to land, adjust their swing tempos accordingly, and bam! A perfect shot right down the middle of the fairway. Every. Single. Time. Every approach shot either goes in or is inches away. And every robot “competitor” does this. Would that be fun for us humans to watch? I mean, it’s greatness, right? It’s near perfect golf. But the robot hasn’t overcome anything to be able to do that. No years of practice, no failures to learn from, no life issues affecting its “mental game.” Artificial intelligence can only manufacture artificial greatness. There’s no story there.
Which brings me back to the meaning of life.
we have to ask what’s lost if we offload it.
For the sake of argument, let’s reduce the high-minded, difficult to define “meaning of life” to a more grounded concept of self-actualization, which is defined as, “the realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potentialities, especially considered as a drive or need present in everyone.” No matter how you define the meaning of life, I’d wager self-actualization is at least part of it.
Now, how is one self-actualized? Certainly not by delegating to others. We self-actualize by doing, by living, by getting our hands dirty, by proacting (I made that word up, but it feels right). If we give too much of our doing, living, and proacting to artificial intelligence, don’t we ultimately risk self-destruction? I don’t mean the “Hal” or “Terminator” kind. I mean, do we risk offloading our reason for being?
Here’s an example where the line is easy to see. Students in high school who are using ChatGPT to write their papers are not learning the subject nor are they learning to write. In these small ways, they are blunting their own self-actualization. The papers from ChatGPT are likely more informed and of much higher quality than the students could write themselves, but in this case it’s not about the result, it’s about students going through the process and learning.
And there it is, right? The value of life does not always come from the result, but from going through the process. If we give too much of that process to AI, then what will be left of humanity? Will we continue to evolve at an individual and collective level or might we reach a tipping point and start devolving into numb nothingness?
I’m just asking the question. I’m inviting the debate. Where is the line? Just because we can offload human-like activities to AI, doesn’t mean we should. At least not all of it.
So before we ask questions about uploading our personalities to a digital universe so we can live forever, let’s be careful not to offload the meaning of life to AI along the way.
Because if happiness is the pursuit of happiness, we may want to be careful not to give up the pursuit part.
CREDIT:
Quick shout out to Todd Meigs, from Mile 20, who conducted a coaching session with me recently, the result of which was this thought about AI and the meaning of life. We had no agenda for our session. Powerful stuff. Highly recommend Todd to help pull thoughts out of you.
Will Burns is the Founder & CEO of Ideasicle X. Follow him on Twitter @WillOBurns.