Henry Kissinger’s Latest Intellectual Conquest: Artificial Intelligence
Now at 100, Henry Kissinger remains a larger-than-life statesman, strategist, and scholar. Alongside intellectual titans such as George Kennan and Zbigniew Brzezinski, his story intertwines with post-World War II American foreign policy. A recent flurry of articles and editorials that spanned news outlets, think tanks, and policy platforms were put out to celebrate Kissinger’s centennial and commemorate his legacy.
Kissinger, despite now being a hundred, is still known for his unending intellectual curiosity and scholarly pursuits, and he constantly demonstrates his exceptional ability to adapt and delve into new subjects, keeping himself dynamically engaged with the world. Nowhere is this more evident than in his most recent book, The Age of AI: And Our Human Future. In it, Kissinger teamed up with Eric Schmidt, the former executive chairman of Google, and Daniel Huttenlocher, dean of MIT’s College of Computing, to grapple with the latest challenge to our conventional lives: artificial intelligence, or AI as it is more commonly known.
Kissinger’s expertise in global politics and security lend credibility to the book’s analysis. Overall, the tome is an attempt to articulate a framework for the transformative nature of AI and its potential to reshape the dynamics of military engagements beyond merely augmenting existing capabilities, as AI itself fundamentally alters the strategies, tactics, and doctrines employed by armed forces worldwide.
However, what distinguishes The Age of AI is its profound exploration of how AI shapes human understanding and perception. Kissinger and his co-authors propose that AI’s capacity to access realms of reality beyond human comprehension carries significant implications for our traditional notions of reason, knowledge, and choice. They contend that the technology’s subtle influence on these foundational aspects of human cognition challenges the established worldview of the Enlightenment era and necessitates a reevaluation of our philosophical and ethical frameworks.
Some critics might contend that The Age of AI is merely an attempt by Kissinger to insert himself into one of the most trending topics of our time. Such assumptions would be incorrect; in a testament to his enduring intellectual vigor, Kissinger demonstrates a remarkable capacity to understand the broader implications of profound technological development upon multiple spheres of human and political life. He regularly works with Schmidt and Huttenlocher to elucidate the transformative impact that AI-derived technologies, like ChatGPT, will have on our lives. Together, they make a compelling case, rooted in the ideals of the Enlightenment era, for comprehending and embracing the immense changes that lie ahead.
For example, in a joint Wall Street Journal piece written in February of this year, the three co-authors claim that “the essential difference between the Age of Enlightenment and the Age of AI is thus not technological but cognitive.” They go on to explain that, “after the Enlightenment, philosophy accompanied science. Bewildering new data and often counterintuitive conclusions, doubts, and insecurities were allayed by comprehensive explanations of the human experience. Generative AI is similarly poised to generate a new form of human consciousness.” Similar to their previous work, Kissinger and his co-authors conclude their essay with a poignant reminder that AI poses numerous unanswered questions, and as humans, we have yet to adapt adequately and fast enough to the challenges of this new age.
As Kissinger crosses his centennial milestone, the world finds itself in a position to evaluate and contemplate the legacy of one of the most influential American statesmen of the twentieth century. Yet, true to his nature as a scholar and deep thinker, he has refused to stay behind in the twentieth century and has instead demonstrated a commitment to staying at the forefront of contemporary conversations. Kissinger’s willingness to delve into the complex and rapidly evolving realm of AI highlights his continued intellectual vitality and his dedication to understanding and grappling with the profound challenges and opportunities presented by this transformative technology. By engaging with the AI conversation, Kissinger exemplifies his enduring commitment to knowledge, growth, and tackling the most relevant intellectual topics in our ever-changing world.
Mohammed Soliman is the director of the Cyber Security and Emerging Technology Program at the Middle East Institute. You can find him on Twitter at @Thisissoliman.
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