On September 11, 2024, faculty and staff gathered at the Scott C. Keller Building Vallejo Auditorium to hear from Dr. Neil Lawrence, the inaugural DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge. Lawrence’s presentation, “The Atomic Human: What Makes Us Unique in the Age of AI,” offered an in-depth look at the promises and perils of artificial intelligence while emphasizing the irreplaceable qualities of human cognition.

A central theme of Lawrence’s lecture was drawn from his new book, “The Atomic Human: What Makes Us Unique in the Age of AI,” which explores the fear that AI might surpass human capabilities. He reassured attendees that, while AI will certainly play a critical role in shaping our future, there are aspects of human intelligence that machines simply cannot replicate. 

“The computer isn’t vulnerable in the way we are. It’s not going to die. It’s not going to lose loved ones. It’s not dedicating its life to procreation,” Lawrence said. “The limitations and vulnerability of being a human are intrinsic to our decision-making.”

Despite these reassurances, Lawrence still offered some caution. He explained that as the modern information structure has moved to the machine and away from written text, “software engineers operate as the modern scribe, but they don’t have the social responsibilities associated with that role, and we see some devastating consequences of that already.” 

He also spoke of social media algorithms that have learned to confirm our prejudices. “It drives division. Instead of lifting our thinking, it lowers our thinking,” he argued, noting that this problem wasn’t necessarily malicious but rather just a systemic outcome of how things are playing out. 

Lawrence acknowledged that while machines can certainly manipulate humans, they can also be manipulated by well-intentioned humans to “re-balance the power of the information economy, with those who are trained, who we trust, who sit in these institutions, and who have a responsibility to work towards some society with which we would all like to have.” 

He further argued that those who see AI as a replacement for human intelligence are attempting to rank intelligence, which Lawrence declared an absurdity with roots in eugenics. “It’s an absurdity in the same way it’s an absurdity to talk about what is the ultimate vehicle. Is it a Ford F-150 truck? Is it a bicycle? Is it an airplane? Is it just walking around? It depends on your context.” He emphasized that a “diversity of intelligences” leads to a diversity of approaches and that this is what drives society forward.