I remember when they told us in school that the only thing that separates us from animals, was the intelligence, and i remember being the smartest species on earth was a huge flex for us and made the whole humanity to think that we own the planet. Well, we have managed to create something that changes everything. We alone created languages, solved complex problems, wrote literature, made art, and built skyscrapers, satellites, and the internet. However in the last few decades, this exclusivity has started to fade. Machines, once limited to printing “Hello World” on a black and white screen, now ignores your request with a simple "Sorry, i can not assist with that".
Today, artificial intelligence (AI) can compose text that can pass as our own to your teacher, drive cars more reliably than some humans, and detect diseases from medical images with higher accuracy than many doctors. In fact, once you try to join forces with AI, the results get worse, which means doctors should leave the AI alone and let it do its job, LITERALLY (You can read the whole story and the published paper here).
So what is going to happen next? Are we their slaves? Are they going to eat us? No. Every time someone resist using AI for some task, i vividly remember my geometry class in school, whenever someone tried to draw a line without a ruler, the teacher would say:
We all have reached to this point, survived the nature and enjoyed the comfort of the couch in front of the TV, just because we used our tools, and you thought a ruler is too much for you...
I would be lying if I say I didn't try to start this blog with ChatGPT, but at the end, it just couldn't do it as i like and that shows AI can't replace humans that easily (yet). This is one of the very reasons i decided to started this series about AI (I will talk about the rest of them later), to show you AI is not a threat and it's simply just another tool and we should not worry about it (i will talk about the things we should worry about later).
A Brief Review of Humanity Breakthroughs
Look at it this way: every breakthrough in our history wasn’t just an invention, it was a revolution. Before we get wrapped up in debates about AI, let me refresh your memory about how we got here.
It all started with Fire. Not just a way to stay warm or roast a meal, but the spark that lit up the night and ignited our collective imagination. That first flame was a bold statement: we wouldn’t be held captive by darkness. Next came Writing. By putting thoughts into symbols, we made ideas permanent. Suddenly, knowledge wasn’t fleeting—it could be passed down, built upon, and shared across generations. Or the invention of Wheel. it was our first step of movement and change. This simple, yet important creation introduced us into new world of transportation and trade, connecting distant communities and made it possible to discover the planet.
With the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, mechanization and mass production reshaped every aspect of life. Factories created, cities expanded, and for the first time, technology began to work at a scale that redefined human productivity and social organization. Discovering Electricity was like capturing lightning in a bottle. A force that powered homes, industries, and a newfound era of communication. The era of Aviation broke the chains of gravity, giving us wings to fly and shrinking our big world into a connected global village.
Then arrived the digital age, started by the invention of Computers. These machines turned abstract calculations into real-world solutions, made us dare to dream even bigger with Space Exploration. Going beyond our planet wasn’t just about science, it was a declaration that human curiosity knows no bounds. And of course, the concept of the Internet was perhaps one of the most profound moments in modern history. This global network dissolved geographical barriers, fostering an era of instantaneous communication, collaborative innovation, and shared human experience.
Now, Just imagine for a moment, a world where we had allowed fear and doubt to held us from each of these breakthroughs. What if the Wright brothers had give in to the terror of defying gravity, thinking human flight too dangerous to pursue? Or when the camera was invented, some painters feared it would make their skills obsolete. Yet, instead of smashing cameras in protest, artists embraced photography, leading to new art forms and perspectives. Even the invention of the telephone faced skepticism, with concerns it would disrupt personal communication. But, it became an indispensable tool, enhancing connectivity and fostering relationships across distances once thought insurmountable.
Without the courage to explore, our society might have remained trapped in a perpetual state of “what ifs.” The creative, collaborative spirit that defines our past, and fuels our future, would have been lost in a maze of hesitation and missed opportunity. Throughout history, every significant technological leap has been met with fear. However, it’s our willingness to overcome these fears and integrate new tools into our lives that moves humanity forward. AI is no different, it’s just another tool created to augment our capabilities, not to limit them. Developing AI, like the innovations before it, can lead to unprecedented growth and opportunities.
Actually, AI Has Always Been Here!
Since we talked about most of the human's major milestones, it's only fair to also cover some of the contributions of AI. In healthcare and medicine, AI is nothing short of a lifesaver. Behind the scenes, advanced algorithms goes through countless medical images and patient records to spot early signs of diseases, often faster and more accurately than the human eye (as i mentioned in the beginning of the post). AI driven radiology tools generate precise, instant reports, personalized medicine and treatments to individual needs, opening up opportunities for breakthroughs in drug discovery and patient care.
While you might not even notice it, AI is quietly making our life easier every single day. Every time you find a new music on spotify that matches perfectly to your taste, get instant weather and traffic updates, or redirect junk emails to your spam folder, you’re benefiting from Artificial Intelligence. While these features may seem small to you, life would suck without them, and these are not even the nobel applications of AI.
Too Early To Panic
LLMs, like ChatGPT, have evolved from simple text generators into indispensable assistants that help draft emails, brainstorm ideas, and even provide real-time problem solving. They’ve created opportunities for businesses to streamline operations and for consumers to enjoy a smarter, more connected lifestyle.
I believe if we understand how these things work, what are the meanings of the buzzwords you hear in the media, and learn about the process behind this magical tool, you will be more interested in using it. So before you panic and start planning for the robot apocalypse and putting on your tinfoil hats, read my next posts to realize how similar are we to these creatures.
