Will AI replace humans, steal jobs, or end the world? Is Artificial Intelligence better than human intelligence? All are valid questions ,so don’t feel bad about it. Now, just read this statement by professor Daeyeol Lee:
“It may eventually be possible for humans to create artificial life that can physically replicate by itself, and only then will we have created truly artificial intelligence…Until then, machines will always only be surrogates of human intelligence”
As absurd as it sounds, AI doesn’t come out on top in the artificial Vs human intelligence debate. Actually, it may not be a fair comparison at all. HOW? Let’s settle down some of these doubt and put them up against each other in this ultimate comparison.
Artificial Vs Human Intelligence:
Before we compare Artificial Vs Human Intelligence you should have a good understanding of each. So check out these articles first:
- Intro To Artificial Intelligence: Everything, Simply Explained
- What Is Intelligence: Understanding AI’s End Goal
1- Basis and Origins:
Human intelligence has a natural biological basis rooted in the complex structure and functioning of the human brain, consisting of approximately 86 billion neurons. It arises from the intricate network of neural connections, neurotransmitters, and electrical impulses.
AI has a computational foundation. relies on computer systems and algorithms to perform tasks and make decisions. AI systems use mathematical models and algorithms to process data and generate responses.
2- Learning and Adaptation:
Humans possess the ability to learn from various forms of sensory input and adapt to changing environments. Learning in humans involves a combination of perception, memory, reasoning, and emotional experiences.
AI systems can learn from data through processes like machine learning, which involves recognizing patterns and making predictions. AI’s learning is data-driven and requires explicit training on large datasets.
3- Creativity and Problem Solving:
Humans excel in creative thinking, abstract reasoning, and the ability to solve complex, ill-defined problems. Creativity often emerges from a blend of imagination, knowledge, and intuition.
AI is proficient at solving specific, well-defined problems, particularly those that can be algorithmically formalized. AI excels in automation, such as repetitive tasks in manufacturing, data analysis, and decision-making.
Emotion and Social Intelligence:
Human intelligence includes emotional intelligence, which involves recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions in oneself and others. Humans are inherently social beings with the capacity for empathy, social bonding, and nuanced communication.
AI’s capacity for emotional and social intelligence is limited and typically relies on rule-based or scripted responses. Some AI applications attempt to simulate social interactions, but they lack genuine emotional understanding.
Ethical and Moral Reasoning:
Human intelligence encompasses moral and ethical reasoning, allowing individuals to make value-based decisions and consider the consequences of their actions. Ethical judgments are often influenced by cultural, societal, and personal beliefs.
Ethical concerns in AI revolve around issues like bias in algorithms, privacy, and the potential for autonomous decision-making. AI systems operate based on predefined rules and data, and ethical considerations often depend on human oversight and programming.
Key Comparison Points:
- Problem-Solving: Both possess problem-solving abilities, with humans excelling in complex, context-rich problems, while AI is effective in solving well-defined, algorithmic tasks.
- Automation: AI is designed for automation and efficiency, whereas humans often value creativity, intuition, and adaptability in tasks that go beyond routine.
- Ethics: Both humans and AI make decisions with ethical implications, but AI’s ethical judgments are guided by human programming and oversight.
- Biological vs. Computational: Human intelligence is biological, rooted in the brain’s neural network, while AI is computational, relying on software, algorithms, and hardware.
- Learning Basis: Human learning encompasses a wide range of experiences, emotions, and senses, whereas AI’s learning is data-centric and lacks human-like experiences.
- Creativity: Human creativity involves imagination, emotional depth, and cultural influences, whereas AI creativity is often a product of data patterns and algorithms.
- Emotion and Social Understanding: Humans possess deep emotional and social intelligence, while AI’s emotional and social capabilities are limited and often rule-based.
- Consciousness and Morality: Humans have consciousness and a sense of morality, while AI lacks self-awareness and makes ethical decisions based on human-defined rules.
Is It Fair To Compare AI to Human Intelligence?
The Artificial Vs Human intelligence debate is inevitable. Let’s tackle the ways this comparison could make sense:
Considerations For Fair Comparisons:
Context: The fairness of the comparison depends on the specific context. Comparing AI to human intelligence in all aspects is often not meaningful because AI is designed for specific tasks, while human intelligence is a complex construct designed for survival and advancement.
Scope: It’s essential to define the scope of the comparison clearly. AI may outperform humans in certain narrow tasks but may fall short in broader aspects of intelligence, such as common-sense reasoning or emotional understanding.
Fair Comparison Points:
Functional Comparisons: It is fair to compare human and artificial intelligence in terms of specific functions or tasks. For example, you can compare the ability of AI to perform calculations with high accuracy to human mathematical abilities. If an AI can solve 4847 x 3983 in 0.1 second and a human needs a couple minutes, it’s fair. We’re not supposed to function that way anyway.
Problem-Specific Comparisons: In domains where AI has achieved human-level or superhuman performance, such as certain games or data analysis tasks, it is fair to make comparisons to highlight AI’s capabilities. This does not undermine the human’s intelligent navigation and filtration skills to use the data analyzed by the AI.
Unfair Comparisons:
General Intelligence: It is generally unfair to directly compare AI to human general intelligence. That’s because AI systems are typically specialized for specific tasks and lack the broad cognitive abilities and adaptability of humans. Human intelligence remains obviously superior in this case. It’s like comparing rabbits to cars.
Emotional and Social Intelligence: Comparing AI to human emotional and social intelligence can be unfair, as AI lacks genuine emotions and social understanding. AI’s “emotions” are often simulated or rule-based. AI can’t really develop emotions other than what it was “taught” to feel.
Ethical and Moral Agency: Comparing AI to humans in terms of moral or ethical decision-making can be problematic, as AI makes decisions based on human-programmed rules and lacks consciousness and moral agency. Human’s will always come on top with this, because we experience life way differently than what a machine learns.
Artificial Vs Human Intelligence: The Bottom Line
Did you already notice how the artificial vs human intelligence debate is incomplete without considering the human factor? It’s true that AI will in fact replace laborious processes and do it more efficiently than a human. However, it can not replace the need for human involvement in the workplace. Without human assistance , technology can not advance. Without Artificial Intelligence, humans can’t focus on more important areas. It’s actually a codependent relationship.