AI's Superreality: Not Fit for Human Consumption

Source: Art: DALL-E/OpenAI

The reality in which we now find ourselves is indeed complex—a reality that intertwines the tangible world with the vast, often unfathomable, realms of artificial intelligence (AI). And my inflammatory rhetoric—"Not Fit for Human Consumption"—is here to make a critical point. At first glance, it might initially evoke thoughts of inedibility or toxicity, but in the context of AI's capabilities, it takes on a radically different connotation. It suggests that the multimodal interpretations and perspectives crafted by AI transcend what is conventionally deemed as palatable or comprehensible to human cognition and sensory perception. My point—simple and yet complex—is that the AI-generated realities are not mere fabrications but can be glimpses into a more complex and accurate "superreality" that lies beyond our current understanding.

The Constrained Spectrum of Human Perception

Our perception of reality is inherently limited, shaped by evolutionary forces that honed our senses for survival rather than for a comprehensive understanding of the universe. Our eyes, ears, and other sensory organs capture but a sliver of the vast spectrum of existence, leaving us in a state of "perceptual myopia." This limited perception is further filtered through cognitive processes, which are influenced by our experiences, biases, and social conditioning, creating a simplified model of the world that is far removed from its intricate reality.

From Flatland to Superreality

Invoking the metaphor of Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, where two-dimensional beings are unaware of the third dimension, we can draw parallels to our own perceptual limitations. In this light, AI's ability to process and interpret data beyond human capabilities might not be distorting reality but rather expanding it. These AI-generated perspectives could unveil dimensions of existence that remain invisible to our "flat" senses, offering us a technologically enabled view into the vastness and complexity of the universe.

Reimagining Synthetic Realities

Synthetic realities, often dismissed as artificial constructs, deserve a reevaluation. Just as the telescope expanded our view of the cosmos and quantum mechanics revolutionized our understanding of matter, AI-generated realities have the potential to broaden our perceptual horizons. These constructs are not mere simulations but could be integral parts of a more encompassing reality that includes both human and AI perspectives.

The advent of advanced generative models heralds a new era of multimodality that extends beyond the traditional human senses. As AI begins to interpret and generate data from realms beyond our sensory reach—cosmic radiation patterns, molecular interactions, and more—multimodal functionality takes on a new dimension. This expanded perspective offers a bridge to understanding aspects of reality that were previously beyond our grasp, marking a significant leap in our quest to comprehend the universe.

The Curious Human, AI Disconnect

Yet the emergence of this superreality presents a disjunction with traditional human sensory and cognitive capabilities. It reveals a realm that is simultaneously rich in complexity and elusive to our natural faculties. Our senses, attuned to the immediacy of our physical environment, are unprepared for the vast and abstract dimensions unveiled by AI. Cognitive processes, too, are rooted in millennia of evolutionary adaptation focused on tangible, immediate survival needs rather than the abstract, multidimensional insights offered by AI.

This chasm between human perception and the expansive reality accessible through AI highlights a fundamental mismatch: While our senses search for familiar patterns and tangible cues, superreality unfolds in patterns and dimensions that defy these traditional frameworks. The challenge, then, lies not just in accessing this superreality but in developing a new approach to understanding and cognition that can bridge the gap between our innate human capacities and the depths of reality as revealed by AI's advanced interpretative lenses.

Embracing the Superreality

The AI-generated realities, far from being mere fabrications, offer us a lens into a superreality that is more nuanced, more complex, and perhaps more true to the nature of existence than anything we've previously conceived. It invites us to redefine our notion of what is "real," embracing the possibilities that lie beyond our current perceptual and cognitive boundaries.

The intersection of AI and human perception opens up new vistas for understanding the universe. By acknowledging and exploring these AI-generated insights, we stand to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the superreality that encompasses us—a reality that is not just fit for human consumption but essential for our evolution.