Brave New World

Image generated by DALL-E, an AI tool.

Once upon a time… we had oral history and stories passed down by our elders. Writing allowed the recording of information for posterity, transcending the limitations of memory and oral traditions. Books, and especially printing, rather than transcribing by hand, further democratized knowledge, making it portable and accessible to a broader audience.

Dictionaries and encyclopedias marked the next significant leap, systematizing knowledge in a structured, retrievable manner. These resources provided a foundation for learning and research, standardizing information across various fields and cultures. We paged through encyclopedias while doing research for term-papers. And we examined library card catalogs to find obscure research.

The advent of the internet and online knowledge platforms transformed our access to information, making it instantaneous and boundless. Once Google developed their search engine, it allowed instantaneous global access to vast amounts of data and knowledge.

AI, as the current frontier in this evolutionary chain, extends these advancements by not only providing access to information but also by understanding, processing, and generating content. It offers dynamic and interactive engagement with knowledge, enabling personalized learning experiences and facilitating complex problem-solving tasks.

AI's ability to process and analyze large data sets extends our cognitive capabilities, providing insights and patterns that may not be immediately apparent. This synergy between human and artificial intelligence is a new era of augmented intellect, where AI serves as a tool that enhances our ability to understand and interact with the world.

As the "Carpenters" sang, "We've only just begun."