In a future shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), the evolution of humanity is hotly debated. Many thinkers have explored how AI can change life, sometimes for the better, but often with sinister consequences. Some predict catastrophic consequences, such as artificial intelligence leading to the extinction of humanity, or a future where humans merge with artificial intelligence and become cyborgs. These visions often paint a bleak picture of humanity facing a single, all-powerful force of artificial intelligence.
An AI-driven future may not look like the bleak sci-fi dystopias we often imagine. Instead, to an evolutionary biologist, the rapid diversification of AI technologies into countless applications resembles the ecological spread of microbes, plants, and animals. (Also read: Andrew Huberman shares a ‘complete’ fitness routine for strength, endurance and speed in just 60 minutes a day )
The impact of AI on human evolution
In an article for The Conversation, Rob Brooks, Scientia Professor of Evolution at the University of NSW in Sydney, looked at how a world rich in diverse artificial intelligence systems could influence human evolution. In a recent paper published in The Quarterly Review of Biology, he explored how artificial intelligence can affect the physical, biological and social environment and how these changes can affect the process of natural selection.
Natural selection, the driving force behind evolution, occurs because of genetic variation in the reproduction of individuals. These variations arise from interactions with environmental factors (such as temperature), other species (such as predators or parasites), and other members of the same species (including partners, allies, or competitors).
Around 30,000 years ago, Asian gray wolves began to associate with humans, and the more reactive ones left, leading to the domestication of dogs. This unintended process allows us to understand how artificial intelligence can influence human evolution. As Douglas Adams said, predicting the future is difficult, especially with AI. Evolution, even more so. While this is speculative, the goal here is to spark a conversation about how AI can change human traits and evolution.
The future of human-AI interaction
The AI-human relationship can be seen as a mutualism where both species benefit from each other. AI helps reduce cognitive load by allowing the human brain to shrink over time. With the help of artificial intelligence that manages knowledge and memory, our brains can become even smaller. However, like social media, AI can become a parasite by exploiting attention and emotional responses, which can affect human evolution. At worst, the ability to resist such manipulations can be an evolutionary advantage.
Interacting with other humans has been central to our evolution, and now AI is becoming part of our social lives. One notable development is “artificial intimacy,” where artificial intelligence technologies mimic human social behaviors such as friendships and relationships. Because humans did not evolve to interact with machines, we project our social skills onto AI, treating virtual friends as if they had emotions. This shift could make us more cautious about interacting with a phone or screen, or it could make future generations feel less lonely without human company, leading to more lonely lives.
While the immediate impact of artificial intelligence on the lives of individuals is the primary concern of many researchers, the long-term impact on human evolution should be considered. Although genetic changes over generations may seem far-fetched, they could eventually alter or even diminish key human traits such as friendship, intimacy, communication, trust, and intelligence—the traits most important to AI. As pioneer environmentalist Robert MacArthur noted, being wrong is not the worst thing for a scientist; to be trivial. The potential evolutionary changes that AI could bring could change what it means to be human.
