Are you A.I.?

“Some people worry that artificial intelligence will make us feel inferior, but then, anybody in his right mind should have an inferiority complex every time he looks at a flower.” ~ Alan Kay

Have you been keeping up with the news about the rapid emergence, and potential consequences, of artificial intelligence? Here are few recent headlines:

• Microsoft announces new multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI
• ChatGPT passes MBA exam given by a Wharton professor
• Massachusetts lawmaker asked ChatGPT to write his floor speech
• 'Robot lawyer' powered by AI will help fight speeding ticket as it takes first case in court
• This chatbot will argue with your cable company for you—and might lower your bill

I’m a big fan of that last one.???

So what exactly is A.I.? Let’s break it down.

Artificial means “not natural or spontaneous” and, to keep it really simple, intelligence is “goal-directed adaptive behavior.” Given those descriptions, it appears to me that most human?beings?are artificial intelligence. People, in general, are not acting spontaneously from their innate intelligence. Instead, most of their actions are mechanical, goal-directed and adaptive.

Think about it.

Like machine-enabled A.I., people are programmed (by society) to achieve various goals—the accumulation of wealth, status, fame, relationships, power, stuff—which are erroneously assumed will achieve an?end?goal of happily ever after. They then spend their limited uptime using their senses (sensors) to create predictive models of their changing environments, in order to shift and morph and achieve those misguided objectives.

What people consider to be intuition and spontaneous action is typically a habitual pattern. A feeling or thought springs from their programming (or self-story)—either a random association or an anxiety or desire-driven impulse—which triggers adaptive behavior to keep them in that delusional story and aligned with their fantasy goals.

So, are you A.I.?

Deep inquiry into that, seemingly, ridiculous question is at the heart of what it means to be human. It’s the key to transcendent awareness, psychological freedom, and living an authentic life. One in which the act of being?fully?alive becomes your impassioned vocation?and?your greatest creative achievement.