Artificial intelligence and Real intelligence
First Question: In the age of artificial intelligence, where does man stand in front of machines?Second question: What kind of personality development does man need?Acharya Prashant: Computation and information technology has been, and is, evolving rapidly. Machines bring with them the benefits of efficiency, scalability and predictability. Everything that a computer system, a mechanical arrangement, can take care of will be sooner than later assigned to the machines. Which means that all pattern based jobs – work that involves repetition and adherence to procedures – will go to machines. This is happening, and will happen, not only in engineering and management fields, but in all fields of human activity.Any activity that can be captured and described in a computer algorithm will necessarily go to a machine, for the obvious advantages that machines have over humans in such works.What is then left for a human being to do? What is it about a human being that a machine cannot duplicate? Where would humans be then needed in the whole industrial chain?1. No machine can ever offer creativity. Machines can repeat, synchronise, rearrange, superimpose, juxtapose. All of these are logical activities, done with a reason, done due to a cause. Creativity is causeless and beyond reason. Creativity is not a product of the usual processes of the mind. Creativity requires freedom and faith, neither of which are possible to a system put together by the mind. Hence, the right and ineluctable place of human beings will on the high peaks of creativity. 2. A machine can follow, analyse, explain – all based on its programming – but no machine can ever understand. Wherever there would be a need for innate understanding, man will have to step in. All understanding is meditative, and machines cannot be designed to meditate, because meditation is not a product of design.3. No machine can empathise or love. No machine design can incorporate compassion. Machines know attraction, and repulsion, acceptance, rejection, and everything that comes in between. Advanced systems can even be designed to feel, but no design can result in love. No machine will ever wonder about the Truth, or the purpose of life. No machine can ever go beyond its programming and design. Love and Truth will remain the prerogative of That which is not only beyond machines, but also beyond the conditioned human mind.Further, you asked about personality development. The answer to this has to be seen in context of what has already been said. If personality development is about acquiring pre-set patterns deemed desirable, then such personality development will find its utility shrinking more and more. Pattern based personality development is easy to teach, and popular, but is equally worthless.Real human development lies in creating conditions for the revelation of the core of the mind. It is about holistic education leading to de-conditioning of the mind, and effulgence of freedom, stillness and creativity. Acharya Prashant (Dated: 30/8/2016)
