What Makes Us Human?

The success of artificial intelligence forces us to define more sharply what is unique about human intelligence. Many times, when computers succeed in imitating some human function, the response is, “But this isn’t really what human intelligence is all about.”

At one time being a successful chess player was considered the height of human intelligence. After all, it requires keen ability in strategy as well as memorizing millions of possible moves. Then along came “Deep Blue,” an artificial chess-playing program that defeated the world chess champion, Gary Kasparov. A blow to human intelligence? Hardly. We soon heard a litany of “excuses.” A computerized chess player is only taking advantage of a highly sophisticated series of algorithms and calculations. It relies on its prodigious memory to produce the appropriate response to any move. There is no real creativity or genuine thought involved.

And so it goes for any new area conquered by artificial intelligence. We are able to show that the computer’s success really depended on a combination of low-level skills that don’t really mimic true human intelligence. What makes us uniquely human may have nothing to do with the mind at all.

Does a computer strive to transcend its computerness? Does it have drive or ambition to push its own limits, to create, to innovate, to solve new problems? Or does it only methodically solve the problems put to it by its human programmers?

The ability to perceive new possibilities is uniquely human. We alone can visualize a better future and plan a pathway to make our vision a reality. Along the way we may make use of computers, along with a wide variety of other tools, to facilitate our own goals.

And where does our vision and ambition derive from? What makes us dream, what makes us want to better ourselves and change our world? This comes not from the mind but from the soul. The mind is absolutely brilliant at what it does—taking the information it receives, filtering it, categorizing it, refining it. But the insight, the passion, the vision, comes from a source far higher than intellect. It’s the part of G-d within us that makes us strive to leave the confines of this world and reach for something higher, better and purer. It’s what gives us the drive and ambition to bring those ideals into reality, to bring the spirit down to earth.

This is why our faith in Moshiach has always been supra-rational. From a strictly rational standpoint there is no reason to believe that the world can undergo radical change. But as humans we have a capacity that no artificial intelligence can have: the capacity for faith, for hope. This is why we say, “I believe with perfect faith in the coming of Moshiach.” We have no doubt that the world can be better, will be better, and we will not rest until we make that happen. ■