Italian version

The last two centuries have been characterized by the introduction of extremely complex technologies that have radically transformed society, the environment, and the economy and, ultimately, the quality and development of our individual lives. In the last 50 years, we have seen a further technological leap forward due to the development of information technology, telecommunications, and robotics. At the pinnacle of this development is a set of technologies that we usually refer to as “Artificial Intelligence” (hereinafter AI).

From an evolutionary point of view, artificial intelligence is a huge step forward. Thanks to their intelligence, humans have created a technology that reproduces some of the characteristics of the intelligence that created it. I couldn’t help but ask an AI tool to summarize the main characteristics of itself in a few lines. The result is as follows. As I expected, the AI did an excellent job:

Artificial intelligence can be defined as the ability of machines to simulate certain functions typical of human intelligence, such as learning from experience and making decisions. Its two main characteristics are: learning (the ability to improve thanks to data) and intelligent automation (the ability to perform tasks independently).

On the subject of reflections on the progress of humankind, I would like to quote the well-known storyteller Massimo Temporelli, whom I heard speak in Milan in 2019. Temporelli drew an interesting parallel between technological development and the evolutionary development of the human body:

Human body	System/technology	Meaning
Muscles	Steam engines	Energy, ability to perform work
Cardiovascular system	Electricity grid	Energy transport
Nervous system	Telecommunications network	Communication between various organs/systems
Brain	Artificial intelligence	Control and command center

In 2019, artificial intelligence was a niche topic, but 2025 was the year it came into its own thanks to the availability of AI tools on personal computers and smartphones. Among the many enthusiasts who focus on the opportunities for development and improvement of the world we live in, there are also those who raise doubts about the potential environmental, social, and economic risks. For example, AI could have a disruptive effect due to its potential use in place of people in performing certain activities.

Once again, and perhaps this time in a dramatically more serious way, we are faced with this question: how can economic and political choices be guided so that AI is not used to make private profits at the expense of the collective interest?
This question is essentially based on a very ancient issue, explored in depth by various philosophies and religions, concerning the balance between intelligence and wisdom.
Intelligence is about the ability to analyze and understand reality in order to solve problems. Technology stems from intelligence and is the systematic application of knowledge to create tools, machines, and methods to simplify and improve life.
Wisdom has to do with goodness, with the ability to judge with balance, to make sense of choices, and to evaluate consequences. It is not limited to knowledge, but integrates experience, ethics, and long-term vision. It can guide intelligence and actions towards the common good. I borrow a quote from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics:

“Practical wisdom (phronesis) concerns human affairs and is the ability to deliberate well on what is good and convenient for man.”

I believe that Aristotle’s definition effectively conveys what every human being innately associates with the word wisdom. Wisdom is naturally linked to the common good and to assessments concerning the sustainability of choices regarding the use of what technology, based on intelligence, makes available. In my mind, this definition is linked to the concept of value developed by Japanese educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, founder of Soka Gakkai, to whom I dedicated the first article on this website. We act wisely and create value when we strive to improve our physical and spiritual aesthetics (beauty), to obtain tangible benefits in our lives (gain), and to contribute to the well-being of the community (good).
Looking critically at reality, it is not difficult to find examples that demonstrate how sophisticated works of human ingenuity can at the same time be evidence of a lack of collective wisdom. I will mention three:

• Is it wise to have produced such a large number of atomic weapons that they have the potential to destroy life itself on earth?
• Is it wise to have underestimated the management of plastic waste, knowing that the average biodegradation time is several hundred years?
• Is it wise to have used antibiotics so extensively and uncontrollably that antibiotic resistance has become a major cause of death worldwide¹?

I conclude this article by returning to Temporelli’s parallel between the social and the human brain. Over the course of evolution, our brain has learned to work to maximize the well-being of the various organs and systems, which coincides with the well-being of the organism. Similarly, the social brain, of which Artificial Intelligence represents an embryonic stage, will naturally evolve by integrating the ability to direct action towards what is good and beneficial for humanity.

You can send your comment to info@esperienzedivalore.it, I will be happy to respond.

1. https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2024-09-17-antibiotic-resistance-has-claimed-least-one-million-lives-each-year-1990 ↩︎

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)