Artificial intelligence (AI) has gained a lot of ground in recent years, with incredible advancements in machine learning and natural language processing, which allows AI systems to perform and execute tasks that were once thought to be uniquely human. However, despite these impressive capabilities, AI will never be able to fully replicate the human spirit (nor should you want it to) and the unique qualities that make being a human so special. So, if you’re one of the people who believe the end of humanity is neigh as AI spreads across the planet, you have nothing to worry about. And here’s why.

Companies that are design-led understand
that design is not a deliverable; it is a profound
manifestation of the human spirit.
Debbie Millman

One of the key components that sets humans apart from AI is our ability to feel emotions. While AI systems can recognize and respond to certain emotional, pre-programmed cues, they do not experience the full range of emotions in the same way that humans do. Emotions are a crucial part of what it means to be human, and they allow us to connect with others, express ourselves, and experience the world in a deep and meaningful way. Another thing that makes being a human so special is our individual creativity and imagination, and the spectrum is covers.

A Slippery Slope?

Humans are constantly coming up with new and wacky ideas, innovations, and artistic creations that push the boundaries of what is possible. AI systems can be pre-programmed, algorithmically, to be creative to a certain extent, however they do not have the same spontaneous, free-flowing creativity that humans possess. Or do they?

In addition to emotions and creativity, humans have the ability to think abstractly and make moral and ethical decisions. While AI systems can be programmed to follow certain rules and make decisions based on data, they do not have the same capacity for moral reasoning and judgment that humans do. This is what some people fear with the creep of AI into law enforcement and whispers of Robocop being a harbinger of the future of humanity.

5 Reasons Humans Won’t Be Replaced

In spite of the impressive and, frankly, quite frightening potential capabilities of AI, there are several reasons why humans should never lose sight of their unique gifts and the innumerable qualities that make being a human so special. Here are five reasons why:

• Being human allows us to experience a rich and varied range of emotions that enriches our lives and helps us make meaningful, substantive connections with others. Machines aren’t able to gather a lifetime of lessons and personal behaviors, experiencing pain, hurt, denial, love, happiness or aloneness. And it most certainly is not able to sort those feelings out to come to a conclusion or remedy in order to rectify the situation for their betterment.

• Our creativity and imagination allow us to come up with new ideas and innovations that push the boundaries of what is possible, sometimes, pushing the envelope of reality. Using textures, sounds, and influences gathered over a lifetime of interacting with the external world, human being have the ability to interpret their realities in various, creative ways.

• Our ability to think abstractly and make moral and ethical decisions, allowing us to make choices that are guided by our values and principles. A program is restricted to the parameters its been locked to programmatically and based on logic trees and if/or statements. Human beings are nuanced and are capable of a spectrum of decisions, however, AI, with access to information, can arrive at conclusions much faster.

• Being human gives us the ability to appreciate beauty and aesthetics, and to create and enjoy art in all its forms, expressing human individuality. What AI needs to exist, is data. And modern AI has access to the all the world’s information online and can retrieve data at a much faster rate than a human can, it can create any artwork, but it cannot feel inspiration or inclination to create because it encountered a sound, a color, a smell, that influenced the human creative spirit.

• Being human allows us to have a sense of purpose and meaning, and to contribute to the world in a unique and meaningful way. We are a sentient species, I’m not sure if AI has the ability to “feel”, but we sure are reaching those levels of technology with the latest advances in that field. However, can AI “fall in love”? Can it get angry? Vengeful? Depressed? It cannot. And why anyone would want an artificial form of emotions is beyond me. Can a seeing little puppy video change the disposition of an AI that “woke up on the wrong side of the bed”? Hmmm.

Another aspect of being human that sets us apart from AI is our ability to form deep and meaningful relationships with others. Humans are dynamically social creatures, and we rely on our relationships with others for support, companionship, and a sense of inclusion. While AI systems can simulate certain aspects of human interaction, they simply do not have the same capacity for empathy, compassion, and genuine connection that humans do.

Humans’ capacity for interpersonal connection has a significant influence on both our physical and mental health in addition to being a matter of personal fulfillment. Strong social ties have been linked to improved physical and mental health outcomes, and those with strong social support networks are more likely to live longer, healthier lives, according to research.

Change Is Inevitable

What makes being human so special? Being able to adjust and shift our response to a wide range of conditions and stimuli, is what makes being a human so extraordinary. As modern humans , we are always learning, developing, and changing, and we have the aptitude to acclimate to obstacles and problems that are utterly foreign to us.

Our capacity to adapt is a key factor in what makes our species adaptable and able to flourish in a continuous and rapidly changing environment. It helps us to face adversity and accomplish our goals with a purpose and determination that machines cannot duplicate or match programatically.

While humans are indeed flexible and adaptable, we can also engage with individuals and connect with them on a variety of levels. We have evolved a sophisticated system of language and communication (verbal and non) that enables us to collaborate, exchange ideas, interact and form personal bonds with other people (and animals).

This propensity for cooperation and communication is essential to our success as a species and distinguishes humans from AI machines. At least for now, as our AI overlords have been merciful in their treatment of us.

So, in conclusion, I’ve realized over my life that the human experience permits us to have a larger and richer sense of purpose and fulfillment in life than, say, a wildebeest. Our intrinsic need to identify our position in the human family and where we fit in relation to other people aids us in finding meaning and direction in our life, as well as developing our interpersonal connections.

A distinct sense of purpose is an essential component of what makes us all basically human, regardless of whether we find meaning and purpose in our marriages, professional obligations, lifestyle management, or our countless contributions to the world or society, this is what I believe, at the core of the argument, that machines don’t have the ability to do..

As I have illustrated, there are many traits that set humans apart, from our potential for creativity and feeling emotions to our capacity for moral judgment, abstract thought, and close relationships with others, that AI doesn’t have the capability or propensity for

While artificial intelligence (AI) systems may be able to do tasks that were previously thought to be exclusively human, they will never be able to perfectly duplicate the human spirit and the attributes that set people apart. Recognizing and appreciating our special talents and using them to change the world for the better are crucial.