Editor's Note: In addition to following technological developments, the author is also a music composer (Julliard graduate) and has prepared a musical piece for you to listen to while reading this column. The piece is called “The Convergence Column.”
The “infinite harvest” embodies the notion of limitless innovation, which aligns with the idea of abundance popular in Silicon Valley. This is my third column on the subject. In part 1, I contextualized the idea of the “infinite harvest” and described how West Coast proponents have used it to overtake more conservative tech giants on the East Coast. In part 2, I described another use of the “infinite harvest”: the limitless possibilities inherent in linking AI to our own stream of consciousness.
Today, in part three, I want to talk about awareness and how this awareness helps us understand what we can realistically do and become.
As I wrote last week, AI-assisted tools allow us to enhance our subconscious. As a result, we have an exponential amount of freedom to decide how we spend our time and energy. But we need to apply the principle of convergence to this freedom, otherwise we will go around in circles and never get anywhere. Defining one's identity is the most rational way to ground these processes. It's tempting to use this new information to set new goals, but goal setting is counterproductive until one's daily actions are aligned with who one really thinks they are, based on empirically collected evidence.
The point is, this isn’t just about who we want to be, or who we think we really are. Ideas and identities need to be examined by reality. We each need to be in a feedback loop with reality where there is evidence that who we think we are, or who we want to be, is at least somewhat objectively obtainable. If you can’t do math, you can’t be a physicist. If you’re five feet tall, you can’t be a professional basketball player. Our dreams and AI-assisted explorations need some restraint.
One form of AI-assisted convergence is the information provided by fitness trackers and smartwatches, which measure physical variables to tell you how well you are doing, how well you're sleeping, and even how prepared you are to handle everyday life. If you think you're physically ready for some very strenuous exercise and your fitness tracker tells you that you're at high risk of having a heart attack,
Listen, don't do that.
There are many ways that intelligent systems can assess and evaluate, but what are they compared to? We need to standardize measurements to something real and objective. If we don't know where we're going, we can't know the path to get somewhere. To move forward, we need to align our actions with the identity we want to be. AI can provide us with much more information than was previously available. Some of this information may be false, useless, or distracting. The only way to determine that is to apply the power of convergence to this new, larger picture we've created by adding different AI tools.
To know what to do, it is also important to know what not to do. These tools are so powerful that they can tempt you and ruin your previous plans. Sometimes it is what you want, and sometimes it has disastrous consequences. As you spend time with these tools and increase your awareness of your subconscious knowledge, your world will expand. You will have to learn how to navigate this larger world, but to do so, you may need different skills and tools than the ones you have already mastered.
AI self-assessment tools offer a range of features that help you gain deeper insights into your strengths, weaknesses, and overall personal growth. For instance, Pymetrics uses neuroscience-based games and AI to assess your cognitive and emotional traits and guide you towards the right career path. Receptiviti analyzes the language used in text to measure personality traits, emotional states, and cognitive styles, providing a window into your communication patterns and emotional well-being. Crystal Knows examines your online presence to provide insights into your personality and better understand your communication style and interactions with others. Similarly, Humantic AI leverages your digital footprint to uncover behavioral trends and offer tips to improve your interpersonal skills.
Additionally, platforms like Lattice, BetterUp, and LUMEN offer comprehensive self-assessment and coaching tools for both personal and professional development. Lattice's AI-driven performance management system includes a self-assessment feature that helps you track your progress and set achievable goals. BetterUp combines AI with coaching to focus on holistic development and identify your strengths and areas for improvement. Meanwhile, LUMEN analyzes your reactions to different scenarios to provide insights into your personality, decision-making style, and potential career paths. Collectively, these AI tools empower you to understand yourself better, align your goals with your true identity, and foster ongoing personal growth.
As you expand your options, get a better grasp on the identity you want and ensure that the way you spend your time is aligned with who you are.
