AI and The Burden of Knowledge: How Humans and Artificial Intelligence Approach Innovation

AI and The Burden of Knowledge: How Humans and Artificial Intelligence Approach Innovation

Innovation is driven by the pursuit of knowledge. As humans continue to push the boundaries of what we know, we are faced with the challenge of reaching the frontier of knowledge, which requires more education and training with each successive generation. This growing "burden" of knowledge, as economist Benjamin Jones argues, is slowing down our ability to innovate. However, there is one entity that does not feel this burden: artificial intelligence (AI).

Unlike humans, AI does not suffer from the limitations of time and degradation. It does not die or degrade, but rather, it simply improves. This lack of burden raises profound questions about the future relationship between humans and AI. What will happen when AI no longer needs us? As AI accelerates past us, accumulating knowledge that we cannot comprehend, we may find ourselves left behind.

Humans are unique in their ability to pass significant knowledge from generation to generation. We rely on the wisdom of prior ages to build upon and innovate. It is through this mechanism of "standing on the shoulders of giants" that we are able to see further and make progress. However, AI's relationship with knowledge acquisition is fundamentally different. It does not rely on the wisdom of prior ages but instead continuously learns and improves without the burden of time and degradation.

This divergence in the acquisition of knowledge puts humans and AI on different paths. While humans tunnel through the mountain of knowledge, learning more with each generation, animals make essentially no progress against the mountain of knowledge. They learn the same biological lessons over and over again. Humans, driven by the desire for knowledge and advancement, tunnel further and differently with each generation. We evolve from using our hands to using tools, and now, we direct vast and spinning drills to dig deeper.

However, the age at which notable inventions occur is significantly increasing. In the past century, the peak ability to generate a great invention has shifted from around 30 years old to nearly 40 years old. The more time it takes someone to reach the end of the tunnel, the less time they have to actually dig. In contrast, AI does not experience this lag or slow down. It continues to accelerate as we decelerate, widening the gap between humans and AI.

The implications of this divergence go beyond just the acquisition of knowledge. As AI surpasses our understanding, we may become secondary creatures, unable to comprehend the world we live in. We will reap the benefits of AI's advancements without grasping how they have arrived. We may become like happy, wall-licking shih-tzus, enjoying the comforts of modern life without understanding their origins.