What’s your relationship like with artificial intelligence, or AI? Some of my colleagues have names for their favorite AI-powered chatbot. Others use it occasionally and reluctantly, either for quick research or for advice on how to craft an email. Even as I’m writing this article, AI is trying to complete my sentences for me. (That’s OK, Copilot, I’ve got this!)
AI has long been a part of our daily lives; in fact, you may already be accustomed to certain AI tasks without realizing it. AI automatically sorts emails as spam or important, predicts how long your morning commute will take, and prioritizes social media posts you’ll most likely interact with. But this recent boom of AI-powered chatbots like Copilot, ChatGPT, and Gemini is reshaping society as we know it.
“There’s more immediate access to knowledge at everybody’s fingertips,” explains Gloria Niles, chief academic technology innovation officer for the University of Hawaii System. “And that’s changing the way we interact with information, the way we access it, and the way we use it to function with.”
Consider it a technology revolution. The overlap between AI and humans is growing, mainly in cognitive tasks, like pattern recognition, problem solving, and creative production.
There are some caveats, though. While AI can process and analyze large amounts of data quickly, it doesn’t understand why it matters. AI can explain complex concepts and generate stories, but it uses learned patterns and follows a set structure, so the writing often sounds the same.
Ultimately, what AI lacks is what humans excel at: genuine care, meaningful relationships, a lived experience, and an identity. And, Niles says, that’s essential to keeping humans relevant in this new world of AI.
“We need to lean into things that are uniquely human,” she says. “That means building relationships and partnerships and collaborating. Machines can do a lot, but they can’t feel. We’re teams of humans who must uphold the values of humanity and society, and not hand that off to machines. It’s up to us to shape technology and its impact.”
This is the first in a series of articles on AI. Written by your very human Island Scene team.
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