Be More Human

A charismatic teacher stands in a middle school with a message for students about the only subjects more stressful than algebra and calculus: Artificial intelligence (AI). His advice:

“Think about what makes humans human and lean into that as hard as possible.”

On the opposite end, Allstate is discovering that AI can be more empathetic than a lot of its human representatives. The insurance company said a large number of AI-generated emails are more empathetic and less accusatory than human-written ones. AI-generated emails are trained to deliver information with a softer touch.

Our teacher counters by urging students to focus on creativity, emotion and the values that distinguishes man from machine. Values that won’t go obsolete like trust, cheerfulness, kindness, respect, helpfulness, friendliness, compassion, and loyalty.

Being human will only be more important as AI becomes more powerful.

AI will undoubtedly get better every day. Humans can also get better at the things that make us human. I can’t think of a better place in school for being human than places and spaces of health, wellness, and movement.

Three cheers for humanity. And three cheers for the teachers who make every day a little more human for students.

Make a difference today by nurturing social well-being, emotional intelligence, and physical health.

All the best . . . ~g

Gary Lemke, ​Interactive