Although movement is underway to get AI to think more like humans, researchers at Elon University are exploring the reverse — how AI might reshape human thinking.
A newly released university report, “Being Human in 2035: How Are We Changing in the Age of AI?” offers a bleak forecast: As AI increasingly shapes daily life and agents take over more human tasks, individuals may lose aspects of their humanity, with soft skills gradually eroding.
Areas where humans may change
Some 301 experts predict that the adoption of AI by 2035 will bring mostly negative change in nine areas:
- Social and emotional intelligence
- Capacity and willingness to think deeply about complex concepts
- Trust in widely shared norms and values
- Confidence in their native abilities
- Empathy and application of moral judgment
- Mental well-being
- Sense of agency
- Sense of identity and purpose
- Metacognition
Three areas where humans are expected to change for the better by 2035 include:
- Curiosity and capacity to learn
- Decision-making and problem-solving
- Innovative thinking and creativity
Overall, the experts expressed some optimism: 61% expect the change related to the evolution of humans and AI systems will be either “deep and meaningful” or “fundamental and revolutionary.” Some 31% expect the change to be “moderate and noticeable,” and 8% believe the change would be “barely perceptible” or “inconsequential.”
The fragile future of human traits
The overwhelming majority of the almost 200 experts who wrote essays for the report on the primary topic, “Being human in the Age of AI,” focused on potential problems.
While acknowledging that AI will benefit society in critical ways, most expressed concern about what they perceive as the fragile future of some essential human traits. Yet, simultaneously, several essays offer glimmers of hope that because humans are adaptable, they will find ways to succeed and even thrive.
“The best-selling book of 2035 will be ‘What Was Human’ and it will be written by an AI. Purchases by other AIs will vastly outnumber purchases by human readers,’’ wrote futurist and tech forecaster Paul Saffo. “This is because by 2035, humans have become so accustomed to AIs reading books for them and then reporting out a summary that most humans can no longer read on their own.”
A senior foresight analyst who requested anonymity, wrote, “It is reasonable to assume that by the early 2030s the technology will be woven into many pieces of human life, with the ability to go deeper on a question, to expand understandings, to query the truth or falsity of an understanding, and the option of using an agent able to execute tasks on your behalf will be both widespread and standard. This could lead to obvious outcomes like hyper-personalized digital content environments and erosion of privacy, but also to a redefinition of relationships.”