What is it about humanity that we can’t give away to AI machines?

Hello, I'm Dr. Patrick Stacey from the University of East Anglia, UK, and I lecture in information systems. I research the emotional labour of astronauts within complex systems and how their emotional health can be supported therein. Today's topic is framed as a question. What is it about humanity that we can't give away to AI machines?

The agenda is as follows: I'm going to cover three different positions on how we can respond to this question, which pertains to the relationship between humans and machines. Secondly, we're going to look at different reference theories for each of these positions. Thirdly, there will be a consideration of a variety of machine technology from AI to the more mundane ones. We'll cover a range of different business technologies. Lastly, there will be an assessment and conclusion which suggests that subjectivity and identity are key reference frameworks to address this issue as we move forward into the generative AI era.

Let me elaborate on those three positions. For all the marvels of innovation, we have to ponder, what are the humanistic costs and benefits? Have we already given away our human essences? Is humanity bleeding as the machine continually cuts into our lives? Is it even an issue? I see three positions on this that I want to explore today and answer the big question of what is it about us humanity that we should not give away to AI and related machinery? These positions are inspired by three art movements. Firstly, a Dadaist response is possible to the question that we framed in the beginning. Which would be something like no way, I'm not giving anything away. Secondly, a Bauhausian response is possible, and would be rather different. The response would be something along the lines of: Why are you even asking me? It's irrelevant. I love technology. Give it all away. Thirdly, a Prodgerian response, which would be along the lines of: Good question. Things are so entangled now, but what can we do about it? This last third position reflects undecidedness mixed with concern and a tinge of hopelessness. But let's define these three positions much more fully going forward. Firstly, Dadaism.