I have been watching the emergence of artificial intelligence (A.I.) for some time now. We have all experienced its humble beginnings in things like Google Search, Amazon Alexa, and Apple’s Siri. But as technology has improved substantially, we are finally beginning to see a few of the things that have been long promised but were always just out of reach. Click here for a short demonstration of where it is now.
This is by no means the final product. Think of this current version as a toddler, on its way to growing up into a PHD-level adult. Along the way we’re going to see both the good and bad that comes from advancements like these. Just like the internet, it will bring access to improved productivity as well as creative scams – and I’m also guessing the ability to lose whole days in entertainment curated just for you.
From an investment standpoint, it is very likely that these new tools will add to productivity and economic growth. We should see companies grow faster and add new services and products at lower prices. And while these developments will potentially be good for our portfolios, it brings us back to bigger and deeper questions about how we want to live and what we want to build over time.
If there is a part of you that looks at this and holds a certain amount of hesitation – you’re not alone. The two most common promises of A.I. are that it will make us wildly more productive – to the point that our input will be almost unnecessary – or that it will fundamentally improve what it means to be human altogether.
In many ways I am hopeful this will be like previous promises of technology like flying cars and time travel. But a part of me suspects that the basic fabric of how we live, think and create will be at risk of becoming something very different than what we currently know. I remember taking math classes as handheld calculators were becoming available and asking why I had to learn if the calculator could do it for me. The teacher’s answer was, “You won’t always have a calculator with you, will you…?” Thanks to Apple, I do.
Going forward, I think it will be very important for us to consider and model a different type of A.I. to our children and grandchildren – let’s call it Authentic Intelligence. Thinking about, talking about and modeling what it means to be authentically human may become some of the most important things we do in the coming years.
Let’s keep track of our shared core values, let’s keep asking ourselves, our spouses, and our friends what matters most. Artificial intelligence will get better and better at curating the easiest path forward for us – but it will never be authentic. Financial success is measured by how well you align your resources with outcomes you desire most in life – and in supporting real relationships with the real people you love.