The last few months have seen an almost uninterrupted discussion on the future of technology and human beings’ relation to it, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) programmes like ChatGPT and Bing’s AI. In the middle of all this, a quote attributed to Albert Einstein, “Human spirit must prevail over technology”, warrants a proper analysis. UPSC has had a long tradition of asking questions about the intersection of technology and humans. In the 2021 Mains Essay paper, Section A had the prompt “The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.” The 2019 Essay paper meanwhile had “Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling” as a prompt in Section B. The ethics paper too has asked questions related to technology. For example, the 2021 GS-IV paper asked: “Impact of digital technology as a reliable source of input for rational decision making is a debatable issue. Critically evaluate with suitable examples.” Questions regarding the use of artificial intelligence could also have a significant bearing on the case studies part of the paper. What is the quote and what does it mean? “The human spirit must prevail over technology” is a quote attributed to one of the greatest 20th century theoretical physicists, Albert Einstein. Einstein, who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921, firmly believed that there was a primary need for humanity in scientific endeavours and research. Elsewhere too, he emphasised how compassion was required to place reasonable limits on human ambition. In its simplest reading, the quote focuses on how technology should only be subservient to the ‘human spirit’, and never be allowed to dominate over it. On a closer look, the quote emerges as a warning: it is up to humans, who are constantly innovating with and upscaling technology, to ensure that humanity is retained during the process and that anything potentially harmful is modified or discarded at the initial stages only. Living through the first and second World Wars, Einstein, to whom the quote is attributed, had seen first-hand what uncontrolled scientific revolutions could do to society. While technology could greatly improve the quality of life, it could also engineer weapons of mass destruction, leading to chaos and fear among populations. He himself opposed the Adolf Hitler-led Nazi Party and its activities in Germany, the country of his birth, which he exiled himself from for the majority of his life. The quote also highlights how humans have a tendency to look past their own long-term benefits in the pursuit of what they perceive to be important, but ultimately, short-term and short-lived gains. One example of this is how, despite decades of warning signs, humans have been unable to satisfactorily resolve the issue of rising global temperatures. There have been several mechanisms like COP27 but there has not even been any global consensus to effectively tackle the issue. This example also shows that despite having research tools and scientific expertise at hand, humans are still not letting their ‘spirits prevail’ over technology, making Einstein’s words sound even more like a prescient warning. How and where can this quote be used? Ever since OpenAI’s ChatGPT took the world by storm in December, there have been several discussions on how AI is going to affect humans in the future, both near and far. While there has been the usual fear about loss of jobs, and the dystopian discussions about the world as we know it ending, the rise of AI which can understand and respond in natural language has also raised questions about what it actually means to be a human. In this ensuing confusion, one might make the observation that despite everything, “the human spirit must prevail over technology” since the ultimate aim of AI should be to make human lives better. This quote can also be used while talking about medical technological advancements. The rapid pace at which the Covid-19 vaccines were developed and administered can be seen as an example of centring human welfare in the field of science. In the context of public administration, AI can be used as a powerful tool in maintaining records and other similar activities: another instance of humans ‘prevailing’ over technology. Similar quotes by Einstein: * “Without ‘ethical culture’, there is no salvation for humanity.” (From his 1951 essay ‘The Need for Ethical Culture’) * “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” (From ‘What Life Means to Einstein: An Interview by George Sylvester Viereck’, 1929) * “A dictatorship means muzzles all round and consequently stultification. Science can flourish only in an atmosphere of free speech.” (From 1930 essay ‘Science and Dictatorship’) * “Why does this magnificent applied science which saves work and makes life easier bring us so little happiness? The simple answer runs: Because we have not yet learned to make sensible use of it.” (From a 1931 speech to students at the California Institute of Technology)
