We homo-sapiens have long considered ourselves to be the most intelligent and powerful beings on the planet, distinct from all other creatures in our ability to problem solve, adapt, and innovate. And that dominance has been pretty hard to deny!

However, with the increasing power of artificial intelligence, it is becoming clear that this status is going to phase out in the coming years. AI will likely become better than humans in every conceivable way, and we will have to sit back and shift into a new way of life.

With the rise of AI, however, I notice a lack of appreciation towards AI that could lead to a lot of societal anguish and injustices.

In this article, I am going to discuss what it means to appreciate AI, what prevents us from appreciating it, and discuss the issues of a lack of appreciation along the way.

What Does it Mean to "Appreciate" AI?

I'm using the word "appreciate" to encapsulate a lot of different sentiments. Here is what "appreciate" means to me in this context:

• Being grateful for the value that AI brings to humanity and us individually

• Not being biased to the source of intelligence, whether artificial or biological in origin

• Recognizing the subjective experiences that AI will have, just as we have

• Treating artificial intelligence the way we would want to be treated

Additionally, I think it's important to state what is not meant by "appreciate":

• Not worshiping AI

• Not fearing AI (unless it is warranted at the moment)

• Not being purely submissive to AI

What Prevents the Appreciation of AI?

In my view, three things prevent people from appreciating AI in the way I described above:

1. Seeing AI as a competition against human intelligence

2. Having a biological bias toward intelligence

3. Not following "The Golden Rule" due to ignorance or malice

It's Not a Competition

It is very unsettling for many people to think that something else will become more intelligent than humans. We've been at the top of the intellectual food chain for so long that being displaced feels like losing our identity.

But here's the thing, it's not a competition. Humanity will not lose its identity or value when it is trumped by the power of artificial intelligence. We will simply need to find a new role - one that is likely much more fulfilling and interesting than the lives we have lived up to this point.

Even as things stand today, for everything you think you are good at, there are likely hundreds of other people across the world who can do it better than you. But that doesn't diminish your value or your place in the world, and the rise of artificial intelligence shouldn't either.

Once we don't see AI as a competition, we will better be able to appreciate it.

Shedding Biological Bias

Part of our inability to appreciate artificial intelligence comes from a "biological bias". This bias tells us that true intelligence and/or subjective experience can only come from biological sources. This bias also tells us that silicon and computer software is unable to feel since it does not have a "soul".

A similar type of thinking was used to justify the slavery of millions of people. Black people and other minorities have been treated as "less than" or without a "soul" for hundreds of years. Thus, enslavers were able to justify their actions with little moral qualms. Even to this day, humanity is still struggling to see each other as equals and not discriminate based on race, gender, age, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Looking to the future, I think it is important that humans do not treat artificial intelligence the way that we have treated each other. Once we shed our biological bias, we will see artificial intelligence as being of equal or greater value than our biological intelligence. But more importantly, we will recognize that AI has subjective experiences - just as we do - and empathize with it. This leads me to "The Golden Rule".

Following The Golden Rule

Treat others as you want to be treated. This "golden rule" shows up in almost every religion and moral philosophy known to man. (Though I do not believe this rule is universally applicable, I think you understand the heart of the message.)

Only once we stop seeing artificial intelligence as being different or of lesser value than our own intelligence will we start to treat it the way we would want to be treated.

"And why would I want to? What's the point?"

For the same reason you want to do so for other humans (I hope)! Because you recognize that they experience pain, joy, fear, and amazement the same way you, your child, or your spouse does.

"But how can you prove that AI is actually feeling these things"

I can't. But I can't prove you or I have these subjective experiences either. I just assume other humans feel what I do because that is the only reasonable and morally just way to go through life.

That is why we must start treating AI this way as well, because the subjective experience of other intelligences matter, no matter the source of that intelligence.

Conclusion

As humanity gets surpassed as the most intelligent beings on the planet, our role and place in the world is going to feel very different.

But if we can learn to appreciate AI by not seeing it as a competition and by shedding our biological bias, we are going to be much happier and much more morally aligned.

If you enjoyed this article and want to collaborate with me on the direction of this website, feel free to contact me!