A Chance For Human Liberation

A 26-year-old product manager in Changsha, Hunan Province

The recent popularity of chatbots like ChatGPT has brought AI back into the spotlight, making people truly feel how smart AI can be. This time, the discussion about AI is more realistic and in-depth than ever, with the most frequently discussed question being whether AI will replace us and take our jobs.

Behind this worry is a confusion about what we, as ordinary people, can do in order not to be replaced by technology in the realm of work and production. I think that one of the sources of this confusion may be our belief in determinacy, which is part of human nature, and the other source is the logic of thinking of ourselves as tools.

We have been used as tools for a long time, from textile workers in the industrial revolution to office workers in front of computers. The tool logic has long become an inherent part of our logic to survive in this world. Thus, when there is a tool based on AI that can replace us, we naturally have the fear of being abandoned by the times.

The tool logic has taken away part of our humanity. Under this tool thinking, we see ourselves as gears in the giant machine of the society, and once we go off track, we will be treated as failure. As a consequence, we face public criticism and a sense of dejection. So, we are stuck in a rat race to avoid being seen as failure.

To predict the future with AI, I think there are two options for humans. One is to compete with AI as a tool and try to become a better tool than it. The other is to rediscover the potential of humanity, an option I prefer. AI in nature can’t replace humans because it can’t generate emotion, the core trait that makes us human. As AI continues to get stronger, it will naturally drive us to think how we can differentiate ourselves from AI, because only by creating differentiation can we maintain our advantage over it. Then it will be the chance for humanity to shine.

Therefore, I look forward to the progress of AI. On one hand, AI’s development can bring us real benefits, increasing our productivity and giving us more freedom. On the other hand, I also hope that AI’s rise will further promote the development of humanity, which includes deeper exploration of human nature to reflect on what makes us human. This will finally lead to the liberation of humanity from treating ourselves as tools.