It might be difficult to estimate when a generalized artificial intelligence (GAI) will come to be, but we probably have some time to sort out a thornier problem: where do we humans fit into a world where machines are smarter than us by multiples? When we meet someone who is smarter than ourselves by a large margin, it can be challenging to keep up with them, or even understand what they’re talking about. Now imagine a machine smarter than that person by a factor of 10, or even 100. It’s not a question of “if” but “when.”
So where do we fit in a world where such a machine exists? It helps to consider what is the function of intelligence. How, specifically, does higher intelligence help one person over another? Faster skill acquisition, faster and more effective problem solving, better spatial reasoning and logic. What it cannot do without human work is discover new information that we now collect by testing and experimentation; it can only reason out based on the information it already possesses. Ultimately, the human role must have something to do with directing that power towards the problems that most negatively impact humanity, and that if solved, would most greatly improve human lives.
Presumably, a machine that intelligent could be given an overarching problem such as “insufficient clean drinking water in North Africa” break the problem down, seek out some data or experimentation, manage the process of testing for a solution and generate a plan of action items.
We as humans have to choose our priorities as humans, and GAI puts that in stark relief. The next great human challenge is to prioritize best uses for such a powerful tool, and confront the uncomfortable choices that it presents to us. I’d like to think that by prioritizing people we can deepen our humanity. Or maybe the AI can remind us to deepen our humanity.