The human brain is wired to think in terms of possibilities, which helps people spot opportunities, connect with other people and take on leadership roles, said author and researcher Angus Fletcher.
Those skills give people an advantage over artificial intelligence, which thinks about probability based on previous events, Fletcher said. He said that is different from possibility, which is based on things that have never happened before — but they could.
“Life is uncertain,” Fletcher said. “Life is volatile. And when it’s uncertain and volatile, what happens? It activates the part of the brain that thinks of possibilities.”
A professor of story science at Ohio State University, Fletcher discussed human intelligence and how it distinguishes people from AI Thursday night at Cameron University’s University Theatre. His presentation was part of Cameron’s Academic Festival, which explores academic themes or social issues through lectures, presentations and other events.
The Duncan-based McCasland Foundation is the festival’s primary sponsor, according to a news release from the university. Additional support over the years has come from the Mc-Casland/Amquest Bank Endowed Chair, Cameron University Foundation and the CU Lectures and Concerts Series.
‘Seeing a pattern’ Artificial intelligence can bring people together, but it cannot spot what is unique about each person, Fletcher said. He said only the human brain can do that, which is one of the advantages that people have over AI.
“When AI is looking at people, it’s seeing a pattern,” Fletcher said. “But when you look at a person, you’re able to see what that person has that nobody else has. That’s the basis of your best friendships, the ability to appreciate that unique quality in another person.”
Fletcher said that ability to detect other people’s special characteristics paves the way for future connections, because people who make new friends immediately start imagining the things they could do together.
Fletcher urged people in the audience to use that skill whenever they encounter someone who strikes them as unusual.
“The next time you meet somebody who’s weird, ask yourself, ‘What’s one thing that they can do that I can’t?”’ he said. “And what you’re doing when you do that is you’re activating this part of your brain and you’re turning an old judgment into an opportunity.”
Eric Swanson is an award-winning journalist with more than 20years’ experience covering local government and criminal justice in Oklahoma, North Dakota and Kansas. He can be reached at eric.swanson@swoknews. com.