AI, Education, & the Essence of Being Human - Part 1

AI, Education, and the Essence of Being Human - Part 1

“We believe that when you build a machine to do the work of a man, you take away something from the man.”

-Sojef, Star Trek Insurrection

A few days ago I was working on a blog post, very much like this one, in my preferred website builder, Squarespace.  A little lightning bolt on the left side of one of the toolbars caught my eye. 

It seemed like something I hadn’t seen before.  Hovering my cursor over the icon confirmed this.

The caption that appeared read “AI [Beta]”.  I was immediately intrigued.  I have been curious about the capabilities of the fancy new AI tech toys that are all the rage right now, but haven’t truly had a chance to dive in, due largely to the fact that I simply don’t want to register for a new account and/or pay a fee to do it.  But here was my chance to see what it can do.

The Squarespace AI bot offers 4 capabilities: article, sales pitch, persuasive argument, or pros & cons list.  I tried all except the pros and cons list, and the middle 2 mostly.  The articles are pretty dry, but the sales pitch and arguments demonstrate just how well this new technologies can organize ideas and mimic human communication.

I sat fascinated, prompting AI to generate one piece after another as I continued to come up with subjects that have been relevant to my thinking and work as of late.  Plato.  Plotinus.  Philosophy.  Coaching.  Metaphysics.

And I was impressed.  The words flow easily and have real persuasive power.

For example, here is a persuasive argument the AI bot generated in response to the prompt “metaphysics”:

“Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that seeks to understand the fundamental nature of reality beyond the physical world. It is a mode of inquiry that explores the nature of existence, reality, and ultimate truth. While some may dismiss it as abstract and irrelevant, metaphysics offers valuable insights into the meaning of life and our place in the universe.

Firstly, metaphysical understanding can help us to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves. By exploring the nature of being and the fundamental principles of existence, we can gain insight into our own thoughts, emotions, and experiences. This, in turn, can help us to gain a deeper understanding of the world around us, relating to it in a more informed and compassionate way.

Secondly, metaphysics can help us to better understand the connections and interrelationships between all things. It allows us to see the world not as a collection of separate and unrelated entities but as a vast interconnected web of relationships. This, in turn, can lead to a more holistic and integrated approach to problem-solving, one that takes into account the complex and diverse nature of reality.

Thirdly, metaphysics can help us to cultivate a more profound sense of interconnectedness and purpose. By reflecting on the nature of the universe and our place in…

[The Squarespace Beta AI examples tend to just stop for some reason. Maybe they’re going to sell it as a service in the future]”

I really couldn’ta said it better or more concisely.  As the text generated I read through it, nodding in affirmation, and thinking “My stars, that IS what I help people with.  Whodathunkit?!”

The next morning I shared this paragraph with a group of colleagues at a weekly networking meeting and they sat transfixed by the clear, fluid language.

At the end, one of my friends in the group told me she couldn’t believe a computer generated that.  “It sounds EXACTLY like you wrote it.”  One thing I don’t know is whether that particular program studies my writing style, or just pulls from the greater internet.  Either way, I took it as a strange sort of compliment, although I’m not sure why.

Another member of the group, a realtor, told me she is already using similar tools to more easily create copy about the homes she is marketing.  So, it’s already changing the nature of our productivity.

I’m not worried though.  Perhaps I should be, and I hear numerous thought leaders and technology philosophers urging programmers and computer scientists to pump the brakes with this kind of R&D, portending doom and gloom.  These programs are, after all, just the most embryonic of babies, and technology will only continue to accelerate more rapidly.  As it’s not my area of expertise, I must plead ignorance.

Here’s something I’m pretty sure about though.  An AI could not have written this (save the part that it did).  What I am sharing here comes from a unique, subjective, embodied, narratively-oriented perspective on, and from within, existence, and I can’t imagine when an AI model will truly be able to simulate that.

A larger question, however, is what this does to society, work, and education.  And that sounds like a Part 2 to me.  I’ll see you there.