The Dawn of AI & The Awakening of Humanity

What have you heard about history repeating itself? Well, we are about to explore historical synthesis, present nuances, and futuristic tendencies —The dawn of AI & the awakening of humanity.

This essay is dear to my heart and a keynote speech is in the works. You want to read keenly.

“AI would take your jobs”
Should that be such a scare?
Does it sound intelligible?
Is it relevant?
Is it fallacy?

Of course, it isn’t fallacy. However, it is a useless scare forced on the soul of humans who have no awareness whatsoever of their humanness— its relevance, scope, and timeless fabric. Make no mistake, do not commit the fallacy of assumption by holding the thought that you may know what this essay will explore. You don’t.

Indeed, AI would take our “jobs” but would leave our highest job yet. It is a new Dawn and an awakening.

Let’s go down memory lane;

The HandiCraft Economy

Think of your favorite outfit; from shirts or blouses to skirts or pants to footwear. Everything made with bare hands, no machine whatsoever. Heavily vested in the creativity and availability of artisans while being constrained by the limitation of resources and human strength. Think deeper about how the world was and worked before the advent of machines and equipment. That is the agrarian or handicraft economy. Wages wasn’t the reward for labor, survival was. Artisans had to daily exchange labor for survival and true meaning. This crafts-based economy was one of true adventure, transcendence, and divine creativity. Pure bliss.

Think about the handicraft economy as an economy of thinking. Strength of thought and skill of work. Ingenuity and dexterity. Though serving as the bed season for human civilization, was its limitation yet strength. The handicraft economy was before what we would later know as the Industrial Revolution. Craftsmen were the cornerstone and artisans, the anchor.

Our fathers of course were their own bosses. Only that, the revelation of that ideology is totally different from what is communicated in our present day. Being your own boss today is synonymous with some level of ease and control, 4-hour work weeks, and money for labor. In their time, it was labor for survival and advancement. Their times were critical for the evolution we have now met. But, this isn’t the point of this essay.

In the handicraft economy, everything that currently exists existed then. Nature had handed mankind the material to create a world they could own and dominate positively. Every single thing would be a rhythmic song to be danced through dispensations by different people. It is one song, danced by diverse people.

That’s the antithesis.

The handicraft economy was the revelation of human ingenuity, an experience of meaning, and an invitation to newness. Even though we are now more interested in big data, AI interventions, and technological advancements; we must trace where we are now from the lens of the past. It is only then we can chart the course of the future that stares us in the face.

The time of hands and craftsmanship revealed to us 4 things that we would see in different ways throughout human evolution and advancement.
1. The ingenuity and creativity of man.
2. The uniqueness and authenticity of man
3. The meaning and purpose of work
4. The system and design of legacy

In all 4, I would say that man was truly in touch with his essence yet lacking in systems and structures that could improve how we live, love, lead, and work. Of course, there were those through time who lacked the skill of education; The focus here isn’t on the lack or limitation thereof but on the availability and abundance of the meaning there was.

In the pre-industrial revolution era, civilization was heavily vested in man’s ingenuity and creativity. His ability to think and create consistently. His thinking could not be outsourced, it had to be leveraged. Throughout this era, it is evident how truly creative and genius we are. Everything created in this material universe by man’s direct involvement started in the handicraft economy or pre-industrial revolution era. This era revealed to us the beauty the mind of a human can uphold and the nature of the Spirit that resides within us. Before machines, were hands and hearts. This time was a time of invention and creation.

This ingenuity birthed effortless authenticity because every product or creation of an artisan had his signature. Imitation was obviously a system of learning however, it sufficed as an intelligence for uniqueness and artistry.

With authenticity and ingenuity was work. Farmers were working solely for their families. Trading was the barter system where payment was done in exchange of product or service as opposed to currency. We didn’t have to go through the 9-5 roller coaster or attempt to understand what it meant to “escape a matrix”. However, the nuances within this era weren’t any less different.

In the present, the only frame of reference for a better future is in the past and when that past does not exist, anything is created and meaning is attached. Working in this era was more about survival and creativity. It was this survival that would lead to the civilization of humanity. This survival wasn’t off the back of a superhero mission to save the world. But, a noble desire to survive and cater for ourselves and the ones we love.

What we call legacy now as a catchphrase isn’t anything new. Legacy is simply heritage. In the handcraft economy, legacy didn’t have to be taught, it was a norm. Families passed down their family recipes, skills, and products. It was the genius of now-future preservation. A revelation that many do not take seriously in our present day.

While the handicraft economy was the economy of the hands, the hands were fueled by the heart but the head wasn’t as sovereign as it could be. Hence, the next era was going to change everything about the handicraft economy. A reality the notable economist, Karl Marx critically explored.


The Industrial Revolution
There have been different industrial revolutions labeled numerically but my goal isn’t to give details of each. It wouldn’t be relevant to this essay. Rather, to give a rundown on what this era looked like and how it disrupted what was familiar in the handicraft economy and is paving way for re-alignment and true advancement.

In the industrial era, wages still was not the reward for labor. It was branded as such but it wasn’t. Life was. “Life” because, the depth of their labor determined consumption, well-being, and time spent with family. “Me” time and family time as is common today wasn’t a thing in this era. It was labor for life; branded slavery. This era was hands ALONE, not hearts. Laborers and artisans were circumvented. They became detached from their essence, their sense of adventure, their intellectual curiosity, and the dopamine of childlike creativity.

Machines needed to be handled by people for wages. It was no longer about creating but earning. Creativity was replaced with specialization and monotonous work. How we lived, loved, and worked was disrupted significantly by urbanization and industrialization. Women and children were not left behind as the smallness of their fingers proved to be a useful resource in threading. Families became more disconnected, dreams started to change into narratives. It became a climb, an illusion—-meaningful work was perceived as how high you could climb as opposed to what made sense and felt meaningful.

Karl Marx called this “Alienation of Labour” —the idea that workers in a capitalist system are disconnected from the products they produce, the labor process, and even their own human essence.

This era was significant for civilization yet decadent for human development.

The Post-Industrial Revolution Era
Industrialization sure advanced civilization on many levels as it paved the way for the Post-Industrial Revolution. An era where humans used their Heads and brains as opposed to their hands or hands & hearts in the first two eras. Now, machines were widespread but a shift was happening. A shift from industry to service and knowledge.

This era is likened to an “Information Age”. The age of big data, digital revolution, Gig Economies, and knowledge-based work. We have moved from hands + heart to hands to head.

In the industrial era was a long production line that created detachment between laborer and product and work was arduous and monotonous, we stepped into the era of the head or brain where systems through technology replaced these arduous tasks. Manual labor was replaced by technology thus, giving rise to the Information Age.

Our nature of work shifted from manual labor to critical thinking, research and development, automation and computation, and everything in between. This is the era we are currently in. This is the era we are settling for yet failing to see what is already here.

The Post-Industrial era is shifting again but rather than seeing where this is going, we are more focused on reeling into the Information Age. We are trying to stay competitive by learning all the emerging AI technologies. To preface, being abreast of the latest technologies and developments is critical for the new that is here. However, a focus only on the tool would make you irrelevant and without significance and meaning in the age that is here.

Technology is not the movement of this age. It is only the driver. It is a tool for advancement, revolution, and newness. It is not the advancement, revolution or new. A tool, that is what it is.

We are in an era where we are transferring brain work to technologies. The question is, why? And is this something to be afraid of? The simple answer is NO.

In between, I love FRIENDS a lot! Hahaha..I could watch each episode multiple times without getting tired. I was watching a season recently where Ross Geller spoke on how by 2030, it would be possible for humans to download their brains into computers. Phenomenal predictive programming there. Preparing and positioning us for a future that was coming. Nothing to be afraid of, I tell you. But, important to be positioned for.

The reality is - we wouldn’t be able to outdo AI no matter how much we try. The good news is - we do not need to. The dawn of AI is the awakening of humanity.

We are going back to truly being creative, having childlike wonder and a sense of meaning and adventure. We are in the era of transcendence and meaning.

The post-industrial age introduced the Gig Economy; where borderlessness became a known and lived experience for many talents. Where life and work could be built from any corner of the world only predicated on your talents, abilities, or skills. People are literally paid to just listen. Astonishing! This era drastically reduced the barrier to wealth and entrepreneurship with the advent and widespread of new monies and online businesses.

Here is the challenge though, with the drastic disruption of AI technologies, even the splendor of the Gig Economy is witnessing a shift. More and more people would start to move from mere digitization to meaningful work. Creativity becomes critical at this inflection point or an “infant” AI tool could knock you off a deal.

There is more quest to explore existential realities. Spirituality is rising and diverse spiritual ideas are shooting out from nowhere. We are going from head to heart.

We are being awakened to the nuances of our humanity. AI is waking us up to our humanness. Our ability to think creatively, live progressively, and envision a better future.

The methods we are familiar with on every level would be disrupted drastically yet the mission would remain; thus, forcing us to re-imagine our future.

The future of work would be led by the thinkers, dreamers, and doers. The future of work isn’t going to be just about doing but thinking. Technology would do the doing while humans would do the thinking. The sovereignty of your mind and independence of thought would be extremely critical now because your personal difference would need to be expressed on a deep, pure, unadulterated level.

If you’ve been feeling a knack to create more, build thought leadership, explore fields of coaching or consulting, it’s a great time for you. These fields would be wealth-wells in the future. And, what would make these fields wealth-wells is the depth and originality that is drawn from critical thinking, childlike curiosity, and imagination.

Now, regardless of what you do —you would be paid for how you think and your genius. You can no longer compete on the basis of mere skills that can be replaced by technology. And, you can no longer just learn a skill to earn money. Everything has changed, if you do not see it yet. It’s a real awakening and it’s the awakening of our humanity. It is an era to be HUMAN as God intended. Human, in truth & in deed. That’s what this new world would favor.

The dawn of AI is giving us another opportunity to re-imagine. To dream. To live, indeed.

This is a VUCA world. You must embrace uncertainty. We are in the midst of an awakening. One that humanity desperately needs.. Look at it, how we learn is evolving rapidly to meet the demands of this age. From a time when information was so desperately needed to a time where information is so widespread, it has become “overload”. The idea of education has changed with the democratization of information.

What does this show you?
The new is pure. It’s about the creative, ingenious, intelligent human. Commit to exploring your interests, passions, and childlike wonder. Go on an adventure to re-discover yourself. Let AI take the jobs and let humans lead the pack. The intelligence of this age is to leverage the tool and be the movement. That movement is your personal power, authenticity, and new narrative. It is your freedom to be.

With the advent of technology and the technocratic economy, we can be forced to move from pillar to post—seeking avenues to upskill to remain relevant, to pivot into tech-focused roles, and to drown in the tide of Artificial intelligence. The reality is, this is NOT the way to go. Why? These tools are to scale time not to replace creativity.

We are going back to the beginning. Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning, God created. Exposition for another essay.

The dawn of AI has afforded us the opportunity to lean more into our interests, passions, and curiosities with technology as the tool for scale. Your passions and whatever you call purpose is set to have more meaning and traction.
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This Dawn would emphasize meaning, mission and mastery. Meaning represents relevance and definition formed through investigative intelligence and freedom to be; Mission represents the ability to envision a better future, a sense of duty: and, mastery represents the ability to be truly educated (Read my essay on the Mark of an Educated Mind). With technology as the driver of all.

What should you start to do now to position yourself for this awakening?
- Explore existential questions that has hit you from childhood. Questions of meaning, essence, purpose, and life. Go on that adventure. Reclaim your childlike wonder and begin to form definiteness and independence of thought.

- Commit to cultivating your creativity: Every skill you have shouldn’t be monetized. Find what gets you in your creative flow and do more of that. Explore, Create. Just be. It is time to awaken your childlikeness and tap into your innate genius.

- Build thought leadership: Thought leadership isn’t just about creating content. It is articulating and communicating your original thoughts and ideas to the people who need them. And. oh..important to state that you are not a thought leader because you say you are; especially if you are one to regurgitate information. Thought leadership is original and nuanced thinking. Build it.

- Understand emerging technologies on a basic level. The understanding is crucial for leverage. You can’t leverage what you do not understand. Technology is the major driver of this awakening. Your ability to leverage technology to do the heavy lifting while you focus on meaning, mission and mastery would be the game changer. The idea is to master yourself and master the tool.

- Prioritize Spirituality. There’s already a beckon. This beckon is also an effect of the subtle emptiness and void technological advancements have created and will continue to create. Your connectedness is a superpower. Activate it.

- Focus on your well-being. Detach yourself from augmented reality and be more in touch with your essence. It’s an age of self-actualization and transcendence.

Exciting times.
Go, be genius.


- Faith Aziegbemi

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