The Outsourcing of our Humanity!

In recent years, it seems as if everything that makes us human, and celebrates the art of human endeavour is being removed, diminished or outsourced. And whilst I understand the premise that these changes make things faster or more productive or more cost effective, I do wonder what effect it is having on our ability to be human. To connect, to interact, to socialise and to be happy. Can we truly thrive under such conditions?

For instance, it is now common place for the act of writing to be handed over to AI. I have clients who have told me they love it, because they are dyslexic and composing a newsletter would take them forever. For them, it is a real time saver and god send. And I certainly would not deprive such people of this handy assistant. But the question must be asked... what of the art of writing? What of the act of creation in which writers engage in the posing of ideas and thoughts? What of the creative experience that is lost when this job is sent off to the AI domain?

Sure - the result may be the same, but the journey has been lost. And it is the journey and the process that often feeds the heart and soul. This sterile form of writing with no input, no time and no energetic exchange, surely leaves the written piece devoid of the magical ingredient of human creativity. Perhaps it is only the person who takes joy from the time spent placing one word alongside another, who loses out here? Perhaps it does not matter to most. But for me, as someone who loves the possibility that exists on a page, whilst waiting for someone else to read it and discern its meaning...the art of writing is a beautiful exchange of energy, where one person presents an idea and another then takes those words and extrapolates from it, a meaning that is personal and meaningful to them.

And for me, this energetic exchange is paramount as we move through life's ebbs and flows, with each other. I guess it is like asking, if a tree falls in the woods and no-one sees it, did the tree fall at all?

If AI writes an article, and you do not know that, does it mean the content is less valuable and able to effect the reader? And does the writing hold the same value if it is not the result of the act of human creation? Does human creativity have any value anymore? And if not - is that where we want to go?

Do we want to outsource the very things that make us human? Or should we be preserving the creativity, purpose and intention that makes us human in the first place.

This threat now exists in many areas. Virtual assistants with virtual bodies and personalities are now appearing and it can be difficult to tell which are real and which are not. Again, this may be convenient and provide greater reach in the short term, but what is the point of reaching someone when the contact is not real? Not human.

A friend recently asked his followers which computer generated lady he should use as his virtual assistant to answer initial questions from clients, and I was thinking..." wow, I would not want to be consulting with an AI woman that's purporting to be real, and giving me advice". For me this destroyed any element of trust and connection to the service being provided. How is that possibly connection?

To be honest, I do question whether I am the only person not feeling thrilled by the encroachment of AI.

The endless stream of emails that address you personally, but you know it's a computer generated response to something you did.

Feedback from people that pretends to be personalised, but is really just a group send that was automated months ago.

Text messages back and forth to various computer generated assistants, in huge companies that prove to be time wasting and often unproductive.

Is bigger really better?

Are people really happy with this?

The human touch is eroding, and I do ponder if this correlates with the ever increasing rates of depression and anxiety. We are currently being bombarded with information and contact, but at the same time starved of connection.

Social media where you can buy followers. Awards you can nominate yourself for. Grocery stores where you can no longer find someone to serve you. Stores with fewer and fewer sales people.

Sure, it is quick and easy to check yourself out, but again I ask, where is the human connectivity in that? All these little moments that used to provide us a sense of community are being stolen away by technology.

We used to make small talk at a bar or restaurant whilst waiting for a friend to arrive...now most people have their heads stuck in their phones.

We used to have a chat whilst waiting in the queue at the bank or the bakery...now you will be lucky to make eye contact with anyone.

We used to say hello to people as they walked past in the morning or waited at the bus stop...now most people look down and avoid looking up to make a morning greeting.

Looking around at society in general, I think the time has come for us to all ask ourselves what sort of world we want to live in.

A world of connections and energetic exchanges that celebrate human ingenuity, creativity, and joy for the art of living. Or a world of speed and convenience that sacrifices genuine human interactions for the sake of volume and economic productivity.

I certainly do not have all the answers, but I do have a lot of questions.

If you have any thoughts, I would love to see this discussion take flight.