Mind Your Mind: Wisdom in the AI Era | Nina Nagpal | TEDxDFBEDU

Summary

The script explores the intersection of human intelligence and artificial intelligence, noting the remarkable capabilities of the human brain and the sensory superiority of certain animals. It delves into AI's growing role as an 'outsourced service provider for intelligence,' with its ability to perform complex tasks and generate content. The speaker also discusses the impact of AI on our emotional lives, education, and employment, highlighting the emerging intimacy between humans and machines and the necessity to adapt to these transformative changes.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Human intelligence is considered the highest form of intelligence on Earth, with the human brain's complexity and cognitive abilities being unparalleled.
• 🔍 While humans have impressive sensory perceptions, other creatures like eagles and bats have superior senses in certain areas, such as vision and hearing.
• 🤖 The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has created a 'parallel universe' where machines can perform complex tasks, including language communication, content creation, and problem-solving.
• 💬 Large language models in AI can communicate in human languages, creating various forms of content and demonstrating capabilities similar to human intelligence.
• 🔊 AI has become an outsourced service provider for intelligence, transforming various aspects of life and work.
• 📡 Sensors, which have been around for decades, are now ubiquitous in everyday devices and equipment, taking stimuli from the environment and sending signals for human response.
• 🌐 The integration of AI and sensors has led to a shift in how humans interact with their environment, with machines now mediating many of our sensory experiences.
• ❤️ The emotional aspect of human life is being influenced by AI, with social media and online interactions altering traditional family and community dynamics.
• 📚 Education is facing a potential paradigm shift due to generative AI, which can produce high-quality content and perform tasks more efficiently than traditional teaching methods.
• 💼 Employment and occupations are being impacted by AI, with predictions that a significant portion of current jobs will be affected by 2025, necessitating a reevaluation of career paths.
• 🧡 The relationship between humans and AI is becoming more personal and intimate, with AI providing emotional support and companionship in a world of increasing digital interaction.

Q & A

What is the human brain's capability in terms of neurons and complex tasks?

The human brain has about 100 billion neurons and is capable of performing a wide range of complex tasks due to its complexity and neuroplasticity, which includes growth, change, regeneration, and reformation.

How does the sensory perception of humans compare to other creatures like eagles and bats?

While humans have a good set of sensory perceptions, other creatures like eagles have superior visual perception, which is four to five times better than humans. Similarly, bats and elephants can hear frequencies beyond the human range of 2 to 20,000 Hertz.

What is the significance of the creation of artificial intelligence and its impact on human intelligence?

The creation of artificial intelligence has led to the development of a parallel universe where machines and sensory devices can perform tasks previously done by humans. AI can now communicate, create content, compute, and even write code, essentially becoming an outsourced service provider for intelligence.

How are natural language chatbots similar to human communication?

Natural language chatbots are designed to be very human-like and are capable of being as fluent as humans, allowing for natural and seamless communication over the internet.

What is the role of sensors in modern equipment and how do they interact with humans?

Sensors are embedded in various equipment, from phones to household appliances, and they take stimuli from the environment and send electronic signals. Humans respond to these signals, which has changed the way we interact with our surroundings, making many manual checks and balances unnecessary.

How has the emergence of AI and sensors created a parallel universe to human intelligence and sensory perception?

The integration of AI and sensors into daily life has created a parallel universe where intelligence and sensory perception are not just intrinsic to humans but also exist in machines and devices, which can process and respond to environmental stimuli more efficiently.

What are the three pivotal aspects of life mentioned in the script and why are they important?

The three pivotal aspects of life mentioned are the individual self (emotional self), education, and employment. They are important as they form the foundation of human existence, covering emotional needs, the process of learning and development, and the means to earn a living and achieve ambitions.

How has social media and AI changed the way people seek validation and emotional support?

Social media and AI have shifted the way people seek validation and emotional support from close circles to a broader online community, including bots and AI, which can provide immediate and abundant responses, often prioritizing quantity over quality.

What are the potential impacts of AI on the educational system and the traditional model of learning?

AI, especially generative AI, has the potential to disrupt the educational system by providing knowledge and expertise more quickly and efficiently. This could lead to a new paradigm of education that needs to coexist with AI, possibly redefining the teaching and learning process.

How might AI influence the future of employment and the relevance of certain occupations?

AI is expected to impact a significant portion of existing occupations, with reports suggesting that up to 45% of jobs could be affected by 2025. This raises questions about the relevance of certain jobs and the need to adapt and prepare for an AI-influenced job market.

What is the conclusion drawn about the relationship between humans and AI, and why is it important to be mindful of it?

The conclusion is that humans are developing a very emotional, personal, and intimate bond with AI and machines. It's important to be mindful of this trend because it signifies a significant shift in how humans interact with technology and the potential emotional implications of such relationships.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Human Intelligence and AI's Emergence

The script discusses human intelligence, highlighting the complexity and capabilities of the human brain, including its cognitive abilities and neuroplasticity. It acknowledges the superior sensory perceptions of humans but also notes that other creatures excel in specific senses. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is presented as a parallel universe, with AI now being able to perform a wide range of tasks, from creating content to coding and writing. Large language models in AI are described as being fluent and human-like, leading to AI becoming an outsourced service provider for intelligence. The script also touches on the existence of sensors in various devices and their role in responding to environmental stimuli.

05:00

🔍 The Impact of AI on Sensory Perception and Social Dynamics

This paragraph delves into the changes brought about by AI and sensor technology in our daily lives. It contrasts traditional manual checks, such as tire pressure, with modern sensor-based systems that provide instant feedback. The script reflects on how social media and AI bots have altered the dynamics of emotional expression and validation, flattening traditional social hierarchies and shifting the source of validation from intimate circles to a broader, potentially virtual, audience. The changes have led to a leveling effect on social structures and a new form of seeking acknowledgment, which is often quantified by likes and comments online.

10:02

🤖 Emotional Bonds with AI and the Future of Human Relationships

The speaker explores the emotional implications of our growing reliance on AI, suggesting that the quantity of validation from online sources has begun to overshadow the quality of personal interactions. This shift has led to a form of addiction to online validation and a decrease in face-to-face emotional engagement. The script introduces the concept of AI companions and therapists, indicating a trend where people are forming intimate bonds with non-human entities. It raises concerns about the emotional and psychological impact of these relationships and the potential consequences for human interaction.

15:05

📚 The Transformation of Education and Employment in the AI Era

This paragraph contemplates the future of education and employment in the context of AI advancements. It questions the traditional model of education, which relies on repetition and practice, in light of AI's ability to generate and perfect content autonomously. The script speculates on the necessity of redefining educational paradigms to coexist with AI. Furthermore, it addresses the impact of AI on employment, particularly in fields like software development, where AI's coding capabilities could disrupt job prospects for new engineers. The potential for AI to influence various occupations is underscored, with a recent report suggesting that nearly half of current jobs could be affected by AI by 2025. The script concludes by emphasizing the irreversible nature of these changes and the need to adapt to a future where AI plays a significant role in both professional and emotional aspects of life.

Keywords

💡Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. In the video, it highlights the brain's agility and capability to grow, change, and regenerate, which underscores the complexity and adaptability of human intelligence.

💡Sensory Perceptions

Sensory perceptions are the means through which humans and other creatures perceive and interpret sensory stimuli from their environment. The video contrasts human sensory abilities with those of other animals, such as eagles and bats, to illustrate the relative strengths and limitations of human senses.

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines designed to think and act like humans. The video discusses AI's capability to perform complex tasks such as creating text, video, and audio, and its transformational impact on various fields including coding and education.

💡Large Language Models

Large language models are advanced AI systems capable of understanding and generating human language. In the video, these models are highlighted for their ability to communicate fluently, produce creative content, and assist in numerous applications, demonstrating AI's integration into everyday tasks.

💡Sensors

Sensors are devices that detect and respond to various types of input from the physical environment. The video explains how sensors, embedded in everything from household appliances to vehicles, replicate human sensory functions, enhancing safety and efficiency by providing critical real-time data.

💡Generative AI

Generative AI refers to AI systems that can generate new content, such as text, images, or music, based on the data they have been trained on. The video emphasizes its role in perfecting outputs through continuous practice, analogous to human learning processes, and its implications for education and creativity.

💡Emotional Validation

Emotional validation involves recognizing and accepting another person's emotional experience. The video discusses how social media and AI have shifted the source of validation from close-knit family and friends to a broader, often impersonal, online community, affecting emotional well-being and social dynamics.

💡Social Media

Social media platforms enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. The video explores its role in transforming how people seek and receive validation, with a focus on the impact of online interactions on personal relationships and emotional health.

💡Parallel Universe

In the context of the video, a parallel universe refers to the digital realm created by AI and sensor technology that exists alongside the physical world. This concept highlights how these technologies have developed capabilities that mimic and extend human intelligence and sensory perceptions.

💡Employment

Employment refers to the state of having paid work. The video addresses the impact of AI on employment, particularly how it could replace traditional job roles, such as coding, by performing these tasks more efficiently, prompting a need to rethink education and job training for future generations.

Highlights

Human intelligence is considered the highest form on Earth, with the brain's 100 billion neurons capable of complex tasks and neuroplasticity.

While humans have impressive sensory perceptions, other creatures like eagles and bats have superior abilities in certain senses.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has developed into a parallel universe with capabilities in language, text, video, audio, and more.

AI models can communicate in human languages, create content, compute, write code, and produce text on demand.

Natural language chatbots are becoming increasingly human-like and fluent, providing a new form of interaction.

AI has become an outsourced service provider for intelligence, transforming various tasks and industries.

Sensors have been integrated into everyday devices, from phones to cars, providing environmental feedback and enhancing human capabilities.

The relationship between humans and AI is becoming more emotional and personal, with AI providing companionship and support.

The emergence of generative AI, which improves itself through practice, challenges traditional models of education and skill acquisition.

AI's ability to write code and perform tasks accurately raises questions about the future of certain occupations and job markets.

The dependency on AI is growing, with implications for emotional engagement and the nature of human relationships.

AI's impact on employment is significant, with predictions that many current occupations will be affected by 2025.

The relationship between human emotions and AI is becoming increasingly intimate, with AI providing emotional validation.

The rise of AI prompts a reevaluation of educational paradigms and the skills needed for future generations.

AI's infiltration into creative fields, such as writing and medicine, suggests a shift in the types of expertise required.

The transformative and potentially disruptive nature of AI requires careful consideration of its integration into society.

The development of AI is irreversible, necessitating adaptation and forward-thinking in various sectors.

The emotional bond with machines and AI is a significant trend that society needs to be mindful of and understand.

The conclusion emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between human intellect and the growing influence of AI.

Transcripts

[Music]

it's been widely acknowledged that human

intelligence is the highest form of

Intelligence on the

planet with about 100 billion

neurons the human brain is not just

complex but it is capable of doing a lot

of complex tasks the neuroplasticity of

the brain which is nothing but its in

rough terms its

agility is capable of many things

including growth change generation

regeneration and reformation and much

more the cognitive ability of the brain

which is what is called a conscious

intellect is also thought to be very

Superior across all beings on the

planet now if you talk about sensory

perceptions of humans we've got a fairly

impressive set of sensitive perceptions

but there are other creatures on the

planet who have some superiority over us

for instance

Eagles are prized with visual perception

which is four to five times Superior to

ours likewise with audio our ability to

hear sounds is limited to a certain

frequency let's say that is what we know

of is between 2 and 20,000 Hertz of

frequency but Eagles bats elephants can

hear well beyond that

that now suffice it to say that we have

a fairly good repertoire of sensory

perceptions now why am I talking about

intelligence and sensory

perceptions over the course of last few

decades there has been a creation of a

parallel universe and this is the

universe of artificial intelligence this

is the universe of machines and this is

the Universe of

sensory

equipment or sensory devices that's a

better phrase for

it now as for artificial intelligence we

all read a lot about it but the large

language models of artificial

intelligence today communicate with you

and me in the same language as we are

capable of

understanding these models create text

video

audio films pictures whatever you may

want it to create

they're able to compute they're able to

uh write code they're able to write

essays college applications they're able

to uh you know basically produce text on

demand the natural language chatbots

which you and I almost talk to whenever

we choose to on the

internet these natural language chatbots

are very human Lang like and they also

have the capability capability to be as

fluent as humans

are and therefore what has happened

given the wide range of tasks that

artificial intelligence is able to

do artificial intelligence has become an

outsourced service provider for

intelligence it's truly

transformational so therefore the

intelligence that sat Within us is now

also sitting besides

us now if you talk about sensory

perceptions actually sensors have been

in existence for a long long time

several

decades so sensors are in your phon

sensors are in your kitchen equipment

sensors are in your household equipment

and sensors are there in farm equipment

agricultur equipment most defense

equipment have sensors in them

and what do these sensors

do what they are essentially doing is

taking stimulus from the

environment sending electronic signals

to which then you and I

respond what was earlier happening is

that my body or your body and our

sensory perceptions reacted to the

stimulation in the environment of

whatever kind light heat um we were ther

sensors we were light sensors we were

all kind of sensors that capability is

within us but what earlier we were doing

is to respond to the stimuli in the

environment and the the sensory organ

send signals to the brain and then we

acted on

that now today when I drive a

card the sensors embedded in my car

actually tell me whether the air

pressure in the tires of the wheel is

adequate suboptimal or whatever it is it

it sends the electronic message to the

dashboard on my card and I'm able to

react to

it I do recall that for many many years

I would check the tire pressure manually

to see if the tires were

adequately uh had adequate pressure or

not but I no longer do that what I also

recall doing is peeping out of my car

window to see if there is some vehicle

in very close proximity dangerously

close to my car so that I had to steer

myself away but today my car has a

sensor it's embedded with not one but

many

sensors it actually monitors the

proximity of various vehicles in the in

the vicinity of my car and if there is a

vehicle in very close proximity it sends

me a signal and that signal appears on

the

dashboard so really speaking what has

happened both with intelligence and with

sensory perception

which is intrinsic to our existence you

know it defines us in a in a manner of

speaking are sitting outside of us in a

parallel universe and that is what I

meant when I said a parallel universe

has

emerged so that is the world of you know

sensors and that is the world of

intelligence that has

emerged now what does this mean for us

for today for tomorrow for the Next

Generation for two more Generations

I think if I look at life very

simplistically I think it rests on three

pivots the first pivot is of course you

know our individual self our emotional

self our Need For Love or you know

encouragement or validation or

acknowledgement um sympathy that's the

the one pivot of our life the second

pivot on which I believe our life rests

is the pivot of education and why I

believe so is because we spent 20 to 25

years of our life educating

ourselves the third pivot of our life is

employment patient um you know the need

to earn wages the need to make a living

to make a profit to meet our Ambitions

and so on and so forth so that to my

mind very simplistically the three

pivots of of our life now if you look at

the first pivot which is our emotional

being when I was growing up my family

was a very very private family I think a

lot of families

were um you know what we discussed

within the family was like what was

discussed in a closed User Group what

you call a cug in today's

environment our successes were

celebrated within the family our

failures were commiserated within the

family there were no public

proclamations of Love there was no

emotion display in public we did nothing

of the kind and I think a lot of

families were like that

now fast forward to

today I think what's happening is

that things have changed with social

media with and a lot of acknowledgement

that you get on social media by the way

is from Bots and artificial intelligence

there may not be real people behind

that but really speaking you know the

world has changed today you are making

proclamations on the social media to

netizens to Citizens you don't know of

the internet um you are seeking sympathy

acknowledgement validation on the

internet uh and you are getting a lot of

that now there been three you know

fallouts or results of this kind of

environment that we live in

today first I believe that there has

been a leveling of what was the pecking

order the pecking order of family

friends Social Circle and the larger

Community you lived in your town your

village what whatever it was that

pecking order to my mind has been turned

on its head there is no pecking order

now it's a flat

world which essentially means that the

exclusive situation or the position that

your family enjoyed no longer exists we

are all on the same page your family

your friends your so social set setup

Network and the community at large so

you equalized

everyone the second impact of this uh

you know the whole emergence of the

world of internet and artificial

intelligence has been that historically

we are not even historically till about

a few years ago the acknowledgements the

validations the uh encouragement that we

sought from the family and that came

from the family is now being sought on

the internet with a wide community of

people they could be Bots as well they

couldn't be real people all the

time we are seeking that acknowledgement

we are announcing

you know our bereavements we are

announcing our successes our victories

To The World At

Large now while you are getting that

acknowledgement what is happening is

that you're counting it in numbers it's

the quantity you're looking at Hearts

emojis thumbs up people writing you know

text to you hugely comforting but what

this essentially means is that the

quantity of validation

has overtaken the quality of validation

that you may have got from a a parent a

sibling or whoever it is the quantity

now matters to you much more and this is

very satisfying even for adults for

students for everyone

children and this satisfaction that you

derive is

addictive so the third thing that has

happened is that essentially

we are spending for work or for pleasure

spending a lot of time with this

netizens of the world and I repeat they

could be bots on the other side not

necessarily humans who validate you so

what's happening is that the more time

you spend with these netizens the less

time you spend with people willingly

wittingly unwittingly and the less time

you set up with people spend with

people the more more emotional

engagement you have with with uh

intelligence or machines or you know

citizens on the net or whatever you may

call

it now I must share something

interesting I was surfing the net the

other day and I came across a website

called replica it said Companions and

therapists and in qut it

said we are your companions forever

always on your side and it struck Accord

with me in relationships what do you

look for you look for a companion who's

always agreeing with you encouraging you

supporting you who's not countering you

who's not on the other side uh of the of

the argument or a

situation and so there are people who

are resorting to this resorting to

seeking Comfort comfort from artificial

intelligence and then there was at the

bottom of the page there was a

testimonial from a gentleman who said

replica has been my companion in urban

Solitude so the environment we live in

today is we live in a environment of

solitude but we are creating that

Solitude manyfold with our own

actions now the conclusion I draw of

this is that the relationship with

artificial intelligence the relationship

with machines the relationships in this

world we are developing a very emotional

personal and I would say an intimate

bond with the machines with artificial

intelligence and that is a trend we all

need to be mindful of now the second

pivot that I talked about was

education I think the dictum of

education for us uh and I presume for

you as well is that practice makes you

perfect and so we wrote Our alphabets

again and again

we wrote Our mental we did our math

basic math again and again so that you

know it got embedded in our head we

learned grammar over and over again so

that we could write better letters

better essays better compositions and

then grew up to be a good creative

writer with good grammar so practice

made you perfect we still follow

it but what has happened is a bunch of

very smart people in the world today

have created artificial intelligence

what they've also created is generative

AI which is generative artificial

intelligence which is an artificial

intelligence that generates itself it

makes itself better by practicing and

that's not perhaps a correct phrase but

looking at and evaluating the data

available at its disposal again and

again until it develops an

expertise and so therefore generative AI

has become an expert

why because it follows the same dictum

the dictum being practice makes you

perfect and therefore having become

perfect what it is doing now is

producing very fine quality text fine

quality poems

essays and it's doing Computing it's

doing coding with great accuracy and

consequently there you have it so what

does it mean for

Education now and go for forward would

it make sense to have the same model of

Education teaching people the basic

mental math teaching children the same

grammar lessons that we gave or would

artificial intelligence spew it out more

quickly cheaply and better would there

be a new paradigm of

education and therefore what is that

model or shape of Education that will

coexist in our artificial intelligence

world and this is not too far away when

we'll have to answer some of these

questions now the third pivot I wanted

to talk about to you is the pivot of

employment occupation by whatever name

you may want to call

it now what has happened is

that you know for instance and I'll take

an example India produces about a

million and a half graduates engineering

graduates during the course of a year

the world produces maybe varing numbers

but you know give or take we have three

four Mill million engineering graduates

being produced talking about India I am

aware that a lot of these young

engineering graduates uh one of the

roles they Aspire for is coding for

software

development and so they specialize in or

building expertise in writing

code now if AI were to write this code

which it is with great accuracy or right

software what does this mean mean for a

lot of young budding Engineers who

aspire to write

code now I was reading somewhere that

one of the

um literatur in Japan um got an award uh

for for a good book or a I think it was

a piece of uh writing or a book

and she acknowledged that she had

contribution from AI 5% of the book was

contributed by AI

and she acknowledged the contribution of

AI so essentially AI is helping you

write books AI is helping you evaluate

medical reports that it is sending to

clinicians AI is now getting into the

area where it'll get into

diagnosis and

so so on and so forth with multiplicity

of

occupations a large Investment Bank

recently released a report where it said

that

and this is as recent as last month it

said that as on Dat there 25% of our

current existing occupations that will

be impacted by AI within three years

2025 there 45% of the existing

occupations that will be impacted by

Ai and therefore this warrants a lot of

thought in terms of what occupations

will be relevant in the age of AI

that having said I think these are sort

of very significant questions the world

is grappling with the technologists are

grappling with leading Personalities in

the area of artificial intelligence are

grappling with but in conclusion I will

say that what is happening is completely

mindbending second what's happening is

all of this is hugely transformational

but it could be disruptive

the third point I want to say is that we

are where we are it's not reversible

there is no way of going back we will at

best progress forward and the fourth

thing I want to say is

that that artificial intelligence is now

moving from a domain of Education

Computing helping us with text video

audio to an arena of

emotions and the relationship between

emotions human emotions and artificial

intelligence is getting to

be very close personal

intimate and of course highly

emotional this is borne out by a lot of

what you see around what you read Around

what is really happening the dependency

on AI is very very

significant fortunately we have a mind

of our own the artificial intelligence

as yet does not have a mind of our our

own of of its own and therefore all I'll

say is mind your mind and mind your

heart thank you