What does good AI look like? Why We Need A Harmonious Vision of AI for the Future.

What does good AI look like? The AI revolution is happening whether we want it or not. But that future is still being created and shaped. The concept of harmony can help us find our way to better AI and create a for a better future and a positive social impact .

The Ever Growing Pace Of AI

The pace of the spread of AI is breathtaking according to Microsoft, who in a survey of 30000 people on linkedin found, 75% were already using AI at work: With 46% of these said they’d only started using AI within the last six months. AI is impacting our society whether we like it or not.

AI and the Choice To Shape Our Future

Right now, there are options and different possible futures based on the type of AI that we develop and create now. The choices about what future we have will depend on our decisions about what type of AI we want.

The government has announced an action plan to make the most of AI. We now have to choose what kind of AI do we want and need. How can we use it to make a positive social impact?

Do we want a centeralised or decenteralised? Personalised or impersonal AI? Do we want an AI that tells us what to do or one that helps us learn grow and think for ourselves?

We need to start making choices about what we want AI to do. Whilst also being aware which roads lead us to more dystopian views of the future. It is imperative we make the social impact of AI a positive one.

If we don’t make those decisions we give the future to those who don’t have our best interests at heart. Don’t forget creating AI has cost a lot of money. Even now Microsoft and OpenAI are planning to build a $100 billion supercomputer to build and run AI models. (Time) Some day those people and organisations will want their money back, and we will all have to pay.

AI and the Edge of Possible

It is so easy for us to stay in our safe comfortable niches. We are afraid to make decisions. Let it be someone else’s choice. We don’t know the answer. The Edge of Possible model describes how we get stuck in not making decisions and not taking the initiative. It is only by overcoming our fears can we shape our future.

A Harmonious Vision For An AI Future

A good vision of our AI future is one where we create an AI that enables ourselves and our organisations to live in harmony with our bodies and our environment.

“Good AI enables ourselves and our organisations to live in harmony with our bodies and our environment.”

J-P Crofton-Biwer

The concept of harmony is important because it signifies a state of balance and cooperation, whether among people, organisations, and the world around us. When harmony is achieved, conflict diminishes and synergy increases, enabling communities to thrive collectively rather than conflict destructively. By fostering understanding and respect, harmony helps ensure that diverse perspectives and talents can blend seamlessly, leading to greater innovation, well-being, and sustainability.

A promising vision of our AI future is one in which technology bolsters our collective well-being, rather than detracting from it. In this future, AI would help individuals tune into their physical and mental health, allowing people to leverage real-time insights about their bodies and the natural world to make informed, holistic decisions. 

Organisations would similarly benefit, harnessing AI to optimize processes in ways that minimise environmental impact and prioritise sustainability. This harmonious interplay would encourage deeper connections between communities, businesses, and the planet, fostering a balanced ecosystem where technological advancement aligns seamlessly with human flourishing and ecological preservation.

A Harmonious AI Future is an Alternative to AIsolation.

In AIsolation AI is used to disrupt and divide us. Putting in AI bubbles that reinforces our own thinking making us comfortable but also lazy dependent  and stupid. Dividing us from each other and what makes us human and stopping us reaching our potential. (I’ve described AIsolation in this post)

An Example of Bad AI

For example; i certainly don’t want to live in an AI world that is constantly interrupting me with adverts unless i pay for the ‘pro version’ to reduce the adverts to a tolerable level.

Flow is important to us as humans and these adverts all too often yank us out of our flow states. Indeed, we are already living in a world which is perversely bombarding our poorest with noisy adverts whilst the wealthy live in more tranquil environments. This advertising has been shown to drive poor mental and physcial health and increase spending by those who can least afford it (BBC)

Surely a ‘good AI’ will protect us from the daily onslaught of adverts notifications and interruptions and provide us only with the information that will benefit us and we can learn from. Whilst also challenging us to think again and try new things when we get stuck in a rut.

Harmonious AI For Organisations

A good & harmonious AI will allow us to live more time in flow with our organisations. Meaning we can contribute most meaningfully and add the most value we can to our organisations. Good AI can help us manage conflict and differences of opinion with colleagues finding and exploiting constructive middle ground.

Research from the OECD shows that learning and innovation are crucial to the success of organisations. AI should be an enabler of learning and innovation. Yes you might consider outsourcing the learning and innovation to an AI. But then you are outsourcing the future of your organisation to Google or Open AI which is probably not a smart move.

Harmonious AI For Our Bodies

A good AI will enable us to live in harmony with our bodies. Recognising when we are struggling. Preventing poor health. Recongising and let us know when we need uplifting and a boost or when we need to rest. A good AI will help us be at our best and help us thrive and flourish and live longer happier lives with less ill health.

Harmonious AI For Our Planet

A good AI will also enable us to live in harmony with our environment. Helping us to make choices in the things we buy and the things we use to make us more sustainable. It can also help us use the resources we have much more efficiently. Indeed it may even encourage and support us to make positive contributions to our environment so that we can live in a world that truly flourishes.

The Challenge For AI and the Environment

It is important to state at this point that our current version of AI is deeply energy costly and producing lots of carbon emissions that our harming our environment. With Google’s carbon emissions increasing 48% in just 5 years.  But we can’t now put the AI genie back in the bottle, or leave in the hands of the people who don’t care about our environment. Instead we need to transition to AI that is using sustainable energy sources. IF we can encourage our most biggest and most profitable organisations that our at the leading edge of AI to invest in transition to greener energy it could have a transformative impact on our entire energy system.

Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety Applied to AI Implementation.

Creating a harmonising AI is actually based on good science in the form Ashby’s Law of requisite variety. Ashby’s law of requisite variety says that for an organisation to survive we need to effectively respond to all the challenges (variety) of our environment. (Read more about Ashby’s Law in this post)

By using AI to align ourselves and organisation we are making the process of adaption and learning as lean and efficient as possible. Maximisng our ability to respond effectively to an ever changing world.

A good harmonious AI will move us ever closer to that world. Enabling us better connect and flow through the challenges and opportunities we face. By being a force for social impact and positive change. We can further enhance our ability to spread positive innovation through our society improving the diffusion of innovation through our organisations.

These things are all possible uses of AI. But we have to CHOOSE them and shape AI to create a better future for ourselves, our organisations, our bodies and our planet. If you would like to learn more about creating your own positive impacts for change read this complete guide.

Conclusion

We stand at a pivotal crossroads where the choices we make about AI will define our future. By embracing a vision of harmony, valuing human flourishing, organisational well-being, and thriving environment, we can ensure AI remains a tool for positive social impact, rather than a force for division. Whether it’s helping individuals maintain health, organizations drive responsible innovation, or society live sustainably within our environmental limits, harmonious AI has the potential to enrich every aspect of our lives. Now is the time to choose. Let’s shape AI in a way that leads us toward deeper connection, shared prosperity, and a future we’ll all be proud to call our own.