Atulpriya is one of the students who actually make me feel like a teacher. Of course, this feeling of being boastful about my own self includes the PRIDE that he has brought into existence. We have not met much, maybe not even once after he moved out of the classroom, finishing his degree of B. Tech. But Atulpriya Sharma a.k.a. Social Maharaj is someone who represents a generation of my students - the BEST ONES!
But what Atul and I share is a very common bond. Exactly the same that he shares with his school teachers and I do that with mine. That is also identical to what I have for my teachers of university and the Mentors who taught me to speak and made me competent enough to dare and dream. How Atul comes into this post is not about glorifying his work - he is already an award-winning blogger, so I do not need to promote him - but it is about the chat we were having over a call. Atul was to take a session of students in the workshop, I was also a part. We both were Resource Persons. I was to train the learners about Podcasting and Atul was there for Blogging. We did our tasks - but during the run towards preparations, we had some discussions.
In one such discussion, this weird but weighty idea came. Artificial Intelligence is not just for machines - HUMANS also have it.
It happens often that in the company of the learners, a teacher appears. We both are teachers to each other and we both attempt to be learners as well. I uttered this in some sort of flow of speaking, as I do most often. Then I realised, it does mean something. AI is not a thing we should keep on imposing on 'non-living things'. It is a trait, an attribute, quality or skill we can also acquire. To say it in more direct ways, we already have so much of AI in us. Do not take it as a philosophy or some type of mysticism. Rather, look at the Intelligence attribute through rational eyes. What about the skill you know that you never had - and then you 'somehow' acquired them and then constantly felt the need to keep sharpening them by regular practice, participation and perseverance.
Like, I never spoke on the stage; I was never a creative writer like a poet or story writer; I never taught when I was in school, or I did not know how to drive till I was in the late 20s. All these skills of Public Speaking, driving or teaching came with the passage of time. I am pretty sure that, if even for one day - I do not stay alert about their possession, there might be a fall, if not a failure. To be a good teacher, I need to constantly update myself with the best of ways, ideas, thoughts and tricks. To stay as a Public Speaker, a poet or a presenter, there cannot be a single day when I, or anyone in the same domain, can afford to stop 'Introspection and Reflection.
Why do we need to spend time on such skill-sets or competencies, because these have been acquired or 'installed' in our minds? We need to keep them active, update the OS and possess the latest security updates against the threats. All Artificial Intelligence-based creations or machines are vulnerable to trespassing, treachery and threats - so are we, the ultimate Programmed devices. What we have in the mind shall go waste, if we do not put it to sensible use. We can say that some are born creative and some are made by the experiences. The AI-based 'Algorithm' in a machine works on the same principles. We forget, they go slow; we go weak with disease and they are infected; we lose courage and they lose their battery; they are made and we are 'self-made' as we believe in Eklavyaism.
I hope you won't misread 'Artificial' as fake or Animated. It is exactly what it is spelt - ARTIFICIAL. The denotative meaning is - "made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, especially as a copy of something natural." So we can believe in the AI as something we have made. The way We have been trained, taught and managed by elders, teachers, leaders and manager is a testimony of our intelligence being prone to follow something we feel attached to. This does not happen to the Robots as they can not be persuaded. They are protected from the temptations. So WERE We. The ideal self sometimes calls for a rekindling. Taking a cue, from the AI, we can easily reclaim our own intellect's mastery and can return to the fundamental strength of a human mind. The incremental changes we can bring by opting for the habits and interests which prove fruitful.
We need to stay active in Learning. The concept that has guided me throughout - after realising that I can acquire the Intelligence and the Skills which were not a part of the earlier 'Parveen' - says that I need to keep learning and toiling hard to make space for more. Learning, ReLearning and UnLearning should never stop.
Artificial Intelligence is not just for Machines, it is as human as we are.
Hence, this small idea is a blog but, we still need to look for the next task so that the 'owner' of this AI-based mind stays active and worthy of the acquired intelligence. We do have some chips and wires in our mind where energy flows to the direction where it is valued. The choices we make, the conviction and consistency we carry and the character we develop - are some of the things that make us a BRAND.
Now, Sophia is also a brand in 'herself.
Find out about who Sophia is and send a hello from my side as well! After all, We have an Adorable Artificial Intelligence in us.
This is Sophia - but you know that you do better!
