The Literary Machine: AI Agents and an Intercultural Renaissance
Discovering Autonomous AI Agents and Their Potential to Fuel a Cultural Renaissance
In this blog post, I explore the potential for AI agents to initiate an intercultural renaissance. I start with a theoretical approach and gradually move towards practical and specific examples. Towards the end, I provide a detailed definition of AI agents. The tone of this post is optimistic. However, towards the end, I express some concerns and get political. I hope you enjoy reading this post and feel encouraged to discuss it with me and others!
In a world that is increasingly interconnected, yet persistently diverse, a fresh chapter is quietly unfolding. This isn't some utopian fantasy, but rather a reality being shaped by an influential force – artificial intelligence. Now, there's a significant amount of loud discourse surrounding AI, and rightfully so. However, this conversation is predominantly dominated by two narratives: the affluent discussing how AI will further line their pockets, or the working class expressing their fears about AI upending society. My prediction ventures beyond these two dialogues. I believe that between this current phase of the wealthy reaping benefits from AI and the (hopefully more) distant potential of a world destroyed by it, we will witness an intercultural renaissance.
My predictions are:
Some jobs will be lost, but surprising new ones will emerge. We can consider how being a TikTok or Instagram influencer wasn't a job before social media, and we didn't anticipate it would become one. We'll be surprised by the types of jobs that will arise.
Some of the dystopian science fiction books I've read could become a reality. As the saying goes, or rather, as I just made up, "If we can think it, write it, and read it, why can't we live it?”
We'll experience an intercultural renaissance.
The Dawn of the Intercultural Renaissance
In a world where learning and adapting to different cultures, languages, and customs is more important than ever, I can recognize and appreciate a modern-day Intercultural Renaissance.
Just as the Renaissance of the 14th to 17th centuries was sparked by the advent of the printing press, so too could AI Agents ignite this cultural awakening.
The printing press, a revolutionary technology of its time, democratized access to knowledge by making books, once rare and expensive, widely available. This spread of literacy ignited an explosion of ideas, leading to greater inquiry, discussion, and innovation in all areas of life, from science to the arts. This technological shift set the stage for the cultural and intellectual flowering that we now know as the Renaissance.
Similarly, as we forge connections across the globe, our need to comprehend and appreciate the cultural nuances that define us becomes increasingly vital. AI Agents, with their rapidly advancing abilities in language translation, cultural education, and personalized learning, could serve as our modern-day printing press.
AI agents have the potential to democratize cultural understanding, making it accessible to all, not just the well-travelled or scholarly elite. This new era could be defined by an increase in cultural empathy, shared creativity, and mutual understanding - all facilitated by these remarkable tools of artificial intelligence.
The AI Boom
We are currently at a pivotal moment in time similar to the “Dot-com boom” of the 1990s, when the internet gained popularity. Reflecting on the benefits of the internet, I think about how it connected more people than ever and democratized learning. However, I also recognize its negative aspects, such as cyberbullying, fake news, and online privacy invasion. Rules and laws were created to protect humans, but we are still fighting for them 30 years later.
Now, we are experiencing an AI boom and people are much more apprehensive than when the internet emerged.
Big companies are getting rid of employees and attributing it to AI.
Writers are going on strike to be paid fairly and to be protected from AI replacing their jobs.
AI founders and small creators alike are advocating for laws that safeguard humans.
The Intercultural Renaissance Will Take Time and Will Surprise Us
Let’s compare the timeline of the printing press to that of AI, personal computers, and the internet.
The printing press was invented in Germany around 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg. It was a major technological advancement that made it possible to mass-produce books and other printed materials. The first printed newspapers appeared in Europe in the early 1600s. It took over a century between the invention of the printing press and people using that paper to print news. A surprising effect of the printing press was that printed news led to a more democratic society by making it possible for people to be more informed about their government and to participate in the political process. When the printing press was invented, people did not accurately predict the effects that writing and printing news would have on society.
The field of artificial intelligence (AI) research can be traced back to the 1950s when a group of scientists and engineers at Dartmouth College in the United States began exploring the possibility of creating machines that could think for themselves.
In the 1960s and 1970s, AI began to appear in science fiction novels and films, which helped to increase public awareness of the concept. Notable examples include the HAL 9000 computer in Arthur C. Clarke's "2001: A Space Odyssey" and the robots in Isaac Asimov's works.
The field has since grown exponentially, but the term “AI” only started gaining pop-culture mass recognition/panic in late 2022.
Personal computers only became popular in the 1990s. Then AI began to be used in a variety of practical applications, such as voice recognition software and search engines, which made it more visible to the general public.
The internet itself has been around for less than 30 years. That is so young! As a matter of fact, in NYC, the internet wouldn’t even be peer pressured to get married yet.
The internet, personal devices, and AI are all early stages but have already created new jobs, connections, and a new culture. I don't believe that witnessing an intercultural renaissance, where we create more cross-cultural content and feel more globally connected than ever before, will take a century. However, it will take some time, and the outcome may surprise us, for better or for worse.
Autonomous AI Agents
You have probably heard enough about AI, but maybe you are less familiar with the term "AI agent".
An autonomous AI agent is an AI system that can operate independently without human intervention, learn from its environment, and make decisions to achieve its goals.
Unlike chatbots such as ChatGPT4 and Bing and Bard, which require ongoing input from humans to generate responses, autonomous agents only need a goal. Once they have a goal, they are able to create and execute tasks until that goal is achieved.
Autonomous Agents Use Cases
Matt Schlicht wrote a comprehensive guide on autonomous agents. My favorite part of the guide, aside from my own quote (🙃), is the list of examples provided.
As I am a product person, each use case sparks a million ideas and use cases in my mind. As I am a caring and worried human, I care most about the use cases that influence culture and contribute to making society safer and better.
Accelerating Cultural Learning With AI
Let’s get even more specific! AI agents have the potential to catalyze an Intercultural Renaissance due to their unique capabilities in the following ways:
Eradicating Language Barriers: AI agents, through natural language processing and machine learning, can facilitate seamless communication between people of different linguistic backgrounds.
For instance, we already use AI-powered translation apps such as Google Translate or DeepL Translator to provide real-time, context-aware translations, enabling conversations between people who don't share a common language.
Likewise, AI language learning tools like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone help individuals learn new languages more effectively, further bridging linguistic gaps.
AI agents will take tools one step further and use machine learning to adapt to a user's proficiency level, providing more personalized lessons and feedback, thereby accelerating language acquisition.
Promoting Cultural Exchange: AI can provide vast amounts of information about various cultures in an easily accessible manner.
For example, AI-powered recommendation algorithms on platforms like Netflix or YouTube could suggest foreign films, documentaries, or music, thus exposing users to a broad array of global cultural content.
AI agents on a social media platform could suggest posts, groups, or events related to a particular culture based on a user's engagement patterns or their expressed interest in learning about a specific culture.
AI chatbots could be designed to educate users about different cultures, traditions, and customs, encouraging a deeper understanding and appreciation of global diversity.
Enhancing Artistic Collaboration: AI can help artists from diverse cultures collaborate more easily by providing tools for translation, communication, and creative exploration.
An AI agent could facilitate a collaborative art platform, helping artists communicate their ideas across languages, suggest culturally diverse artistic elements, or even offer inspiration by generating unique art pieces that blend different cultural styles.
Imagine an AI platform that enables a musician in Japan to collaborate with a songwriter in Brazil, transcending language barriers and synthesizing unique sounds.
AI can assist individual creators in their creative process using tools like OpenAI's MuseNet, which can generate original pieces of music. This technology has the potential to integrate diverse cultural musical styles into the creative process.
Educational Opportunities: AI can provide immersive, personalized learning experiences that can help individuals learn about different cultures more deeply and rapidly.
AI-driven virtual reality experiences, for instance, can allow individuals to explore cultural sites or events across the globe from their living rooms.
Personalized AI tutors could adapt to individual learning styles and paces, offering tailored lessons on global history, languages, arts, and more. This could democratize access to cultural education and foster a more globally informed society.
Enabling these capabilities allows AI agents to create a global environment where cultures are more interconnected, understood, and appreciated, sparking an intercultural renaissance.
Personally, I am excited about a world where creators understand diverse cultures and can produce more cross-cultural writing, music, and art.
A Current Example: How AI is Helping Me Travel
For the first time in my life, I am using AI to help me travel. What I am doing is using ChatGPT4 and Bard to teach me about Portugal, Israel, and Milan, where I am traveling.
Here are some ways I am using it:
Asking where to live
Learning the language
It IS a great decision... Thank you! 
Now imagine that ChatGPT sent me the lesson without me asking for it, and even reminded me to study, and quizzed me on it. That is an example of an autonomous AI agent.
Asking for specific context language questions
Asking questions about the culture
I could have also used chatbots to create a customized plan for me. By providing them with context about my personality and needs, I could have received a personalized plan. Since I plan to simply explore on this vacation, I do not have any screenshots to share with you.
I recommend using AI to help plan your next trip!
My Journey as a Refugee and How You Can Help Refugees
Let's take this one step further. If we can use AI to plan a trip, imagine using similar AI to help refugees learn about a new culture, so they can safely integrate into their new communities and create a better life for themselves and those around them. This would be a much more significant and meaningful application of AI than simply using it for leisure.
Reflecting on my own journey as a child refugee, I recognize the challenges that accompanied my quest for cultural assimilation. Bereft of technological support, I relied on the generosity of my classmates to bridge the chasm between my past and present. Had AI agents been a part of my experience, the arduous process of adaptation could have been expedited, allowing me to more fully engage in my childhood.
As a child, I was determined to become a successful American. (Now, my focus has shifted to becoming a mentally and physically healthy adult. How life changes!) My family were refugees with few resources, so I turned to successful Americans to teach me how to assimilate. I relied on them heavily - my academically successful friends, with wealthy parents, constantly edited my school essays, taught me American science, math, and history, and corrected my vocabulary and accent until I "fit in". I even went on a date once in exchange for SAT prep notes!
Although I am now proud of what I have accomplished through my own drive, in the past I often felt like I had to rely on others in order to survive and thrive.
On one hand, this all taught me how to ask for help and how to be resourceful.
On the other hand, it created a power dynamic with some friends, or friends who wanted to date me, who liked having that power.
If I had chatbots to talk to instead of my friends, I could choose when and how to ask for help, and feel a sense of independence and autonomy. This would certainly allow me to learn faster without relying on other people's generosity, time, and availability.
The prospect of technology, both current and future, making life easier for refugees is encouraging.
I am particularly interested in this topic because refugees often require significant assistance from others simply to survive.
An even better world is one where the people in the majority learn about the culture of the people in the minority.
Refugees offer a lot to the society that helps them, as they come with new ideas, perspectives, and energy. Everyone should learn about them and from them, too.
This dynamic presents a great opportunity for positive change. I envision a world where all humans can live in harmony, regardless of the cultures we are born into, and where we all strive to understand one another.
Embracing the Intercultural Renaissance
In conclusion, AI agents are ushering in a new era of cultural understanding. With their help, we can explore the rich culture of human customs, languages, and art. This can lead to a world where compassion and understanding are the norm. It is our responsibility to embrace this intercultural renaissance and work together to create a more inclusive, diverse, and harmonious global society.
Share Your Fears & Take Action
This blog post presents my optimistic perspective. However, like many others, I am also scared. While I am hopeful for the benefits, I am also staying as informed as possible and speaking out about my fears.
I am concerned about long-term job losses.
While they will occur and it will be unpleasant as many families will struggle, new jobs will also be created.
I fear for my own refugee family, by the way, so I don’t speak on this lightly.
I do think the government needs to step in and plan for the future. I also think it is good that leaders of tech companies are speaking out too.
I am not particularly worried about how creators will stop creating or how art will lose its soul, because the greatest joy comes from connection.
We will always want to connect with real people who create art. We feel their energy through their work, and it draws us towards them.
I enjoy listening to music on my phone, but I am even happier and more eager to listen to it live. I feel most connected to books written by my friends. I am willing to pay to visit museums to see art, even though I can view it on my phone.
Even if AI creates movies, books, and art with less human impact, humans will still gravitate towards human creators. We will seek out that connection.
I personally know many creators learning AI to create more content. This isn’t better or worse, it is just different and new. Although their processes are different, I still feel connected to the same person.
I do think we need laws that protect creators so they get paid fairly. It is most important that society allows creators to have a really good living, no matter what their process is. I believe that society needs to celebrate creators as much as we celebrate doctors and engineers.
One of my bigger fears is that AI is trained using biased data.
If the data is mostly provided by white, wealthy men who work on the technology and use it for profit, the resulting AI will reflect their biases and perpetuate inequality.
This will make it difficult for people who truly need this technology, such as lower class people and/or refugees, to gain access to it and feel comfortable using it.
I try not to think about how robots can kill us all because I am a pacifist and can’t fathom such a violent future.
Therefore, I urge people from all backgrounds to take an active interest in this technology, use it, and advocate for it to benefit society rather than harm it.
Share your fears loudly!
Be a user. Be a teacher. Get involved politically.
Even better, lead us into solutions.
I propose that textbooks refer to the years 2000-2100 as the "Intercultural Renaissance" years, instead of the years when society was doomed due to technology moving too fast and those in power not caring enough.
It might not feel like it but we humans retain agency over writing our story, shaping our future and moving our society forward, even with the involvement of autonomous AI agents. Let us strive to advance rather than regress.
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Is there anything particular about this topic that you’d like me to explore further? Do you have any questions? This type of feedback is very helpful for me!
I am eager to hear your fears, thoughts, and solutions!