The idea of a machine with artificial intelligence, or the ability to think and act independently, has always pleased scientists. It’s a famous subject for books and films as well. And who among us wouldn’t want a personal robot that could anticipate and take care of our needs? I even recall a local planetarium production about global computers that networked and combined their data. This interconnected computer system commanded, “Let there be light!” at the production’s conclusion. and a brand-new universe emerged.

There are as many ways to define artificial intelligence as people use to describe it. For some, all that is required is for a machine to be able to analyze data and take the necessary action. However, I believe that the majority of people interpret this to mean that a machine can actually think, learn, create, and generate novel concepts; that it can behave like a person and be indistinguishable from a human in its thoughts and actions.

A lawn sprinkler system equipped with a moisture meter to determine whether it has rained is artificial intelligence if it is only a machine or system acting autonomously. The sprinklers won’t turn on until the sensor is dry, even if it has rained. However, this system has been programmed to behave in that manner, and if it fails, it will not behave otherwise. That is in no way intelligent. The system has no mental faculties at all. It has no choice but to do what it has been programmed to do.

The more common definition of artificial intelligence, which states that a machine or system can think, make decisions, and create, I maintain is impossible.

First, a definition of intelligence on which I believe the majority of people would agree: The capacity to learn is intelligence; to learn from experiences what works and doesn’t. Then, at that point, to take that learning and accomplish something advantageous with it.

A machine would need feelings in order to truly learn something. Emotions are also needed by people to learn, and since we have them, there is no limit to what we can learn or do with our knowledge. Higher animals can also learn and feel emotions. The less clever a life form is, the more instinctual it is, meaning it does things since it doesn’t have a decision – on the grounds that it is less canny. As far as we know, lower organisms like bacteria don’t have feelings at all, and their behavior is more like that of programmed machines than of living organisms. They act as though they have no option. They simply comply with their genetic programming.

Machines cannot experience emotions because they do not exist. An individual can program a machine to go about as though it has feelings, yet clearly it doesn’t actually have them. A computer can be programmed to look up information on the Internet, listen to radio and television, read books and magazines, and listen to people talk. It is able to collect enormous amounts of data, analyze those data, and take action. But only in the manner that it has been programmed to. It has a lot of data, but it has no interest in them. It would not care one iota if all of those data sat on its hard drive and were never used. If someone came along and deleted all of those data, it would not even care. Because all that hard work was in vain, it wouldn’t feel bad for a week. So any machine or framework that must be modified to act since it couldn’t care less about acting if not, even figured it very well may be and do astounding things, is not any more keen than a grass sprinkler framework with a dampness meter to show regardless of whether the sprinklers ought to run. And despite the fact that computers can store all of the world’s “knowledge” and can be networked together to maximize their power, this will never result in the creation of a God who is capable of creating a new universe.

Emotions influence how we learn. We desire things. We really want things. There is only one instinct in people: self-preservation. We learn things to keep ourselves alive and agreeable. Sometimes we learn through shame or disappointment. We get excited and want to know everything there is to know about things. I’ve talked to kids as young as five who knew more about dinosaurs than I could ever hope to.

On PBS, there was a Nova program about how to separate conjoined twins. Due to a tracheotomy, one of the twins did not have a voice. However, she quickly figured out how to pull her sister’s hair, so that her sister could help them both cry. She also learned later to cover her throat with her hand so that her vocal cords could breathe. She grinned each time she spoke in this manner, pleased with her capacity to learn and act intelligently.

People are truly intelligent because they can and do learn new things independently, then figure out how to use their knowledge to help others, improve the human experience as a whole, and to preserve themselves. Machines that are able to analyze data and perform as they have been programmed do have a place in our society, but that is the extent of their value.

People should be valued by businesses, families, and governments because they are people. People will never be replaced by machines. It will never work to treat people as extensions of technology. Amazing success will result from allowing people to use their intelligence and technology to do amazing things.

Being able to think, create, choose, feel, remember, self-actualize, and improve oneself is very positive. The fact that I am a person makes me feel the most content.