Book Review: HUMAN EDGE IN THE AI AGE

by Nitin Seth

This third book by Nitin Seth is a progression from what he calls the trifecta of technology transformation - the digital, data and AI features. According to him, these are mutually reinforcing megatrends that impact and shape all aspects of human life, work and society.

Unlike his other books that analysed digital and data exclusively through  a business and technology focus. This particular work deals with the deeper and more fundamental question: How can human beings  go beyond the transformational aspects of this AI age and find what does it mean to be human pummelled as he is on all sides by the radical changes wrought by the new AI? Can we yet save humanity from the scourge of this all encompassing technology and what are the risks and opportunities in doing so?

Seth openly admits that the future will see the end of the era of jobs and replaced by another new epoch - the era of entrepreneurs. While there are many elements in this new era that will give human beings the edge over technology - creativity, problem-solving ability, resilience and leadership. These human traits are irreplaceable and rediscover them we must hearken back to the pioneering era that made possible such remarkable breakthroughs

as massive and unchecked industrialisation and the emergence of the nuclear age.  

However, this new era of technology change represents a radical rupture in the traditional fabric of  human history. In fact, this new AiI proves itself to be superior to human beings challenging the conventional notion that the creation cannot be greater than the creator.

If so, how then can we human beings can leverage this technology since whatever it creates will be superior to the creators? Do human beings have something else that while acknowledging the superiority of this technology and yet manage to use it to benefit our daily lives and the lives of the society at large?

As it was noted earlier, since the new AI age will usher in an era of unprecedented changes that can cast us out to the periphery of this new AI age,  can human beings still stay centered in this rapidly changing world? Can some form of spirituality, inner awareness of our true selves and a concentrated mindfulness, serve as a grounding foundation to enhance our clarity of perception, strengthen our resilience and expand our consciousness to help us ride out the storm of uncertainty with confidence and wisdom?

Entrepreneurial thinking in the domains of business, professional careers,and personal growth will prove to be the keys to creating lasting and predictable value. If you can think like a creator, take the lead in inspiring others to follow you, then entrepreneurship would become a way of life.for society itself. Indeed, if you can identify technology trends, take risks and innovate, perhaps then you would be in a position to shape your own future rather than be shaped by it. In  the process, you will be able to recognise patterns of behavior and attain the ethical foresight to ensure it is responsible. Of course, you would need to reflect deeply and often relentlessly to arrive at that state of mind.

Since entrepreneurship almost always involves a measure of risk taking, we can leverage those technologies that appropriately match our appetite for risk taking and set a boundary

that will not be crossed under any condition. Adoption of these technologies would also be contingent on establishing a threshold of pain that could not  exceed our ability to absorb it. Only then can we embark on the journey that promises us extraordinary profits and enduring value.

Moreover,  Seth points out,  in today’s world that is dominated by notions of instant gratification and data abundance, we find ourselves consuming more and more information

that overloads and cripples our mental faculties. Indeed, we fear missing out on some information so we rely on continuous updates to keep up with events that may have no bearing on us at all.

 In the new AIK age, solving a problem requires more than data and rational analysis. Reflection, if rooted in self-awareness and supported by meditation, can become a powerful tool for connecting with your inner self. Once you accept that change is  inevitable, you can develop the appropriate mindset that views every challenge as a reinvention opportunity.

To ensure success in this new AI age, learning across multiple domains is a must as is  the ability to engage in multidisciplinary thinking. Instead of reacting passively to newer challenges, acting  proactively to meet those challenges head on is a crucial necessity. Lifelong learning then is no longer seen as a burden but a survival skill for leaders in this era of rapid transformation and relentless technological advances. 

Nitin Seth confirms unequivocally that the new AI age is already here and with it will come  more fundamental changes in how human beings work and find meaning in that work. But these shifts do not result in changed roles but confront these workers with deeper tensions within themselves and the world around them. We too then find ourselves in a society where the familiar paths toward success such as college degrees, steady jobs and

and management careers are no longer relevant. There is a new arena of battle that is fast evolving, infused with AI and entirely unpredictable.

Drawing from his own personal experiences with the Hindu scripture of Bhagwad Gita whose message has withstood thousands of years of turmoil, change and turbulence, it may even guide us today. Just as Artjuna, the protagonist in the Gita, is lost in the confusion of not being able to destroy his kith and kin who have acted in violation of the dharma they had shared even at birth and yet his sense of duty enjoins him to do the needful whatever the consequences to his kinship with his brothers.

Lord Krishna, who acted as his mentor and moral guide during the battle, urged him to obey the call of duty for which he would find within himself the strength, purpose and positivity

To act accordingly. Arjuna, feeling empowered by this message, picks up his bow and lets go of his arrow, fully aware of the consequences of such a bold action.

Perhaps, like Arjuna, we too can follow his footsteps because the future is not fixed, nor is it certain. Therefore, we too can live with the consequences because we have acted in accordance with our dharma. That correct attitude simply makes the future boundless in hope and opportunity despite the doomsday scenarios predicted by the gloomy pundits who are too comfortable with the way things are. At last, we too can break those chains of enslavement that bind us and find freedom and moksha in the new AI age.

Kamal Wadhwa