The clash of artificial and natural intelligences: will it impoverish wisdom?

• Main Author: Bakar, Osman
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English; English
• Published: The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre 2022
• Subjects: B Philosophy (General); BJ Ethics; BL Religion; BPC Science and Technology in Islam; Q Science (General); Q128 Islam and Science
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/102876/2/index.html; http://irep.iium.edu.my/102876/8/102876_The%20clash%20of%20artificial%20and%20natural%20intelligences.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/102876/; https://themuslim500.com/

This essay covers some of the major issues that arise in contemporary human thoughts following the fast-expanding and problematic interface of natural and artificial intelligences that we have been witnessing during the last several decades. Not only is the interface rapidly expanding, but it is also getting more complex and epistemologically muddier. Moreover, it is sending more signals that it is now venturing into danger zones for human security. The very nature and characteristics of the interface could only mean that more major issues will emerge to haunt the contemporary human mind. We observe that the interface has become more controversial in recent years. Until modern times, wisdom or Qur’anic hikmah has been universally extolled as the most excellent form of human knowledge and intelligence. The issue of the future of wisdom in the economy of human intelligence is seen as inextricably tied up to the future of civilisation itself and which, therefore, must be of due concern to our present and future humanity. In the light of the AI agenda, the future of wisdom is at stake for two main reasons. First, there is growing acceptance of cerebral intelligence as man’s highest achievement. This belief would lead to the impoverishment of wisdom, since cerebral intelligence is not its source. Rather, wisdom is identified with intelligence of the heart and of the intellect and with intuition. In short, wisdom will flourish only if higher forms of intelligence are given ample spaces to grow and develop. Second, the popularisation of AI that is pursued at the expense of NI, especially as understood in religion, will further erode man’s appreciation of the higher forms of NI that by nature cannot be reduced to logical thinking, be it human or bio-machine. Consequently, it is imperative to pursue an AI agenda that would not be in destructive conflict with NI. Not only that, contemporary man needs to be reminded of the intelligence that defines his humanness and the role of the prophetic intelligence as the model to be emulated.