Simplicity and Authenticity...

This time last year, I had no notion of how artificial intelligence could be relevent to the everyday life of the average being. However, over the months it has become clear that these developments in AI represent less a breakthrough, albeit unprecedented, than an actual seachange in our existence, as sci-fi becomes reality. With a pace rapidly gaining momentum, we learn of some new skill acquired by this force to be reckoned with. And yet for the moment, no one seems to be wondering about the exact nature of this force and what ultimately our relationship will be with it. Nor do many appear to be alarmed by the speed of change as everything is shifting beyond our understanding and we have no time to consider what this may actually result in or when the day of reckoning will arise. Right now, we seem to be heading down a path that I do not want to take. In fact, I want to run in the other direction entirely...

Looking at simple blossom on the blackthorn, I felt a rush of gladness to have such unadulterated natural beauty in front of me; nature in all its complex simplicity. I fear we are becoming increasingly irrelevent and redundant in an environment that will be pure artifice, far from the authenticity of the natural world that we have plundered as a mere commodity. Now we seem to be treating the essence of mankind with a similar lack of regard and respect, using human intelligence and emotion as further commodities - data - to be replicated artificially until we no longer know what is authentic and what is not.