Reflecting on generative AI and the Human Condition
23 May 2026 - Richard Horridge
I'm preparing to travel to France next week for two weeks of Alpine climbing.
Last time I made this trip was in 2022. This time I'm taking the train there, whereas last time I drove. Lots of other things are different as well!
It may have been just my personal situation that was different, or it may reflect a world which no longer exists, but 2022 felt like a less threatening time to be alive. We had just exited the pandemic and there was a renewed sense of optimism and purpose. Today I feel the pent-up emotion of a national and worldwide population which is increasingly at odds with the large corporations and their yes-men who seem hell-bent on control and monopoly over human thought.
No where is this more apparent than with generative AI. Would it have as much venture capital investment if there wasn't the tantalising promise of fully replacing human workers?
I would hardly call myself an "AI-doomer" – I use these tools every day, and as a technologist they can be used to effectively augment my work. I worry about the human cost of a technology which produces convincing output, whether that is reports, software modules or emails.
From talking to undergraduate students, they are already aware of what it means for them. Many are cynical of the value of using it as part of their studies. In my recent lecture I have instructed students to learn to use the tools and advised them of their limitations. Will this new job market allow for them to be unprepared?
