Soulful: You In The Future Of Artificial Intelligence

I recently had the opportunity to read a pre-release version of a new book by David Espindola. The timely book — due to launch on May 29 — is titled Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence. With the introduction of ChatGPT a few months ago, artificial intelligence is now top of mind. A day doesn’t pass where countless articles explore various aspects of Generative AI. My interaction at events and leadership forums is dominated by the topic. Among the noise are thoughtful voices that provide new insights. David investigates the topic through the lens of multiple domains, including technology, neuroscience, social psychology, economics, philosophy, and theology. I’ve included the book abstract below. You can preorder the book on Amazon. I highly recommend it and have added it to my library.

AMAZON ABSTRACT

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has hit an inflection point — ChatGPT has popularized its use. The implications are staggering. Machines are gradually but relentlessly encroaching on what was once believed to be the exclusive realm of tasks performed by humans. The displacement of jobs and consequent technical unemployment is inescapable. But those who can collaborate with AI will be highly rewarded.

Soulful describes the proliferation of AI and its broad implications for the world of work and society in easy-to-understand language. It explains how Human-AI collaboration will increase productivity in Education, Healthcare, Science, Manufacturing, Service, and many other areas. The book discusses the human condition, what motivates and sets us apart from robots, and how to use our intuition to collaborate with AI. It teaches how to identify and develop unique human capabilities and skills that will be highly valued in the future, such as empathy and lateral thinking.

The book explains how increased productivity due to AI and a new creation-based production system could generate abundance, changing how we think about the economy and the meaning of work. In addition to abundance, we could benefit from technology’s unstoppable deflationary force, which may lower the cost of our basic needs — energy, food, communications, transport, education, housing, and healthcare — so that most humans could potentially enjoy a high-quality, low-cost living standard. It also considers the challenges in crossing the chasm between the current realities of inequality, environmental degradation, and economic uncertainty to this new environment where humanity could benefit from the sustainable production of abundance.

Soulful examines threats and opportunities from the advancement of AI and instigates deep reflections and thought-provoking discussions that will open the readers’ minds to new possibilities, preparing us to enter this unfamiliar territory. It provides new insights and investigations from multiple domains, including technology, neuroscience, social psychology, economics, philosophy, and theology. It concludes with a discussion about the soul — the uniquely human trait that is difficult to describe and impossible to impart to machines.

Originally published at http://frankdiana.net on May 8, 2023.