Artificial intelligence might just be the catalyst to push us into the age of wisdom. Here's why.
This time of year, I appreciate the reminders to slow down and reflect on all the wonderful people in my life for whom I am grateful. No doubt my daughters top that list, but there’s a compelling list of friends in my life who are nothing short of amazing.
One is Mike Pino. Mike and I have worked and written together many times, and I’m always a better person for it. Recently we were kicking around a few ideas, fueled by social science and neuroscience research, English literature and emerging thoughts around artificial intelligence. A crazy mix for sure, but one ripe with opportunity for making connections.
One of Mike's ideas jumped out at me: Might artificial intelligence be the catalyst that helps move us from the Information Age to the Wisdom Age? Will the confluence of human learning and machine learning cause us to rethink how we generate information versus how we generate insights? I suspect so.
Below is a portion of our conversation. I wouldn’t call this an interview, but a chance to convey the insights of one of the wisest people I know — someone who literally never stops learning and growing.
From the Information Age to the Wisdom Age
How do you think about the relationship between humans and machines?
To me, it seems less threatening (and perhaps more practical) to think about how machines might augment human capability rather than replace it. Bill Gates recently published a blog about the evolution of chatbots to agents, which will have a much greater impact on personalization and productivity. Obviously, the emergence of AI has lots of unanswered questions, but the likelihood of profound change seems inevitable. Gates offers many industry-specific examples that make the abstract much more concrete.
How should we think of the role of machines when it comes to information vs. wisdom?
Machines can process enormous amounts of information, identify patterns and advance our understanding to a state of awareness that previously didn’t exist. This allows us to “know” things we previously didn’t know. Wisdom is a whole other level. It’s the ability to apply that knowledge combined with the insights we generate from our experiences. The ability to reflect and think broadly across an array of experiences is foundational to developing sound judgment, which enables us to make better, future-oriented decisions.
What are your thoughts on the possibility of machine-generated wisdom?
Although AI is raising privacy concerns immediately, it hasn't (yet) triggered the larger concerns about machine generated forms of wisdom. AI engineers are working on ethical frameworks for decision making, but it remains to be seen if those frameworks will be compatible with a human, and humane, understanding of ethics and morality. It might be that wisdom is so specific to the context, situation or culture, that a generalized ethical framework would be incompatible with what we understand as human wisdom.
I know some of your readers enjoy diving into the research, so I’ve included a link to one study that provides a sense of the range of discussions underway.
What does social science research say about how the neurobiology behind wisdom?
This is such an interesting area of research. One study pointed to six areas of behavior that were associated with wisdom, which I’ve listed below. Also fascinating are the detailed descriptions about neurotransmitters and brain scans found in research from the Journal of American Medical Association.
Most days, we can recognize these behaviors in others, but it can be harder to acknowledge them in ourselves.
Prosocial attitudes and behaviors — including empathy, cooperation and altruism.
Social decision making and a pragmatic knowledge of life — recognizing the emotions of others and understanding the situation to make moral decisions
Emotional homeostasis — demonstrating emotional self-regulation and impulse control
Reflection/self-understanding — allowing time for internal dialogue before decisions
Value relativism/tolerance — considering value systems other than one’s own
Acknowledgment of and dealing effectively with ambiguity — appreciating the differences between risk and certainty in decision making.
What are some practical things that each of us can do to promote our own wisdom?
First, be compassionate and empathetic. Always try to see situations from as many perspectives as possible. Second, stay open minded and calm, particularly in the face of uncertainty.
Third, be open with others about your blind spots and where you need help in decision making.
Fourth, learn from your experiences and share those insights with others. And lastly, keep a sense of humor about yourself. Even wise people make mistakes!
Mary Slaughter is a global human capital executive, consultant, executive coach and published author. She has held enterprise roles including CHRO, Chief Talent Officer, Chief Learning Officer, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Head of Employee Experience & Communications, as well as Managing Director in large consulting firms. Connect with Mary Slaughter:
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