Is AI enabling our next Renaissance?

Walking through the streets of Florence, there is a resounding beauty that still echoes into contemporary society. Much of Florence was developed during the Renaissance - a time when perspectives on the world shifted - and we can feel that still. The Renaissance spanned roughly from the 14th to the 17th century and marked a significant transformation in art, culture, politics, science, and the fabric of European and later global society. Now, we are poised for an era that I believe can be compared with the Renaissance. Artificial intelligence is enabling this inflection point. In this article, I want to discuss some of the larger themes of my thinking, and to encourage the conversation.

The goal is to develop these ideas into a book. If you are a subject matter expert in any of these areas and are interested in collaborating, or simply have thoughts you would like to share, you are very welcome to reach out at sarah @ dalyandx.com. Like my wonderful friend and thinker in this space, Kyriaki Papageorgiou, my bias will skew towards creating a eutopia, rather than a dystopia (which we both feel the AI conversation leans towards too often). We need to create positive options with a considered eye on the risks, so we have somewhere worthwhile to aim for.

‘What does it mean to be human?’

We have been curious about who we are for a long time. As humans, we tend to search for meaning. It is at points of contrast, when we have something to push against, that the question “What does it mean to be human?” comes to the fore.

The Renaissance emphasised the importance of human beings over the divine or supernatural matters. The philosophy of humanism shifted our perspective towards the value and potential of individual achievement. This led to a renewed interest in the literature, art, and philosophies of ancient Greece and Rome, and it laid the groundwork for modern human rights and the concept of individualism.

The AI revolution challenges and extends the concept of humanism by raising questions about what it means to be human in an age of advanced machine intelligence. While the Renaissance celebrated human potential and achievement, AI prompts a reevaluation of human roles, capabilities, and ethics in a world where machines can perform tasks traditionally thought to require human intelligence. Again, we can ask the question, “What does it mean to be human?”. Is it our capability, or is it our consciousness? As machine capability evolves, these questions also evolve.

One area our thinking is developing quite quickly is around the concept of creativity. Creativity is thought to be a human trait. However machines, including generative AI, are enhancing and augmenting human creative capabilities. I believe they can be described as creative in their own right. This is providing us with the opportunity to again reflect on what creativity is, and more deeply understand the differences between human creativity and machine creativity.

Looking backwards to move forwards

The Renaissance saw a revival of thought, where scholars looked back in time, drawing inspiration from ancient Roman and Greek (and perhaps Chinese) art, literature, and scientific discoveries. This revival brought about leaps in creative, scientific, technological and philosophical thought. There is a second argument on where much of the thinking that spurred the impressive scientific leaps of the Renaissance: that it came via a Chinese fleet that sailed from China to Cairo and Florence in 1434, and then back across the world. This is a well argued theory by Gavin Menzies. Given that stories are rarely simple, I love how his book questions the histories we are often taught.

AI also looks backwards into data that already exists, and makes predictions. It is a type of ‘thought’ that has enormous potential to impact our future. By looking at historical data, literature, and images to train algorithms and models, Developers are training AI to achieve new ways of perceiving and understanding our world. AI then enables us to explore new types of decision-making and creativity. The conversations on the risks and rewards inherent in AI are varied, nuanced, and changing quickly.

I am also aware than by thinking this way, I am also looking backwards to move forwards. That is the prerogative of an art historian, and I believe it is a useful jumping off point to assess where we might be heading.

The scientific and creative revolutions evolved together

When science and creativity collide, great things can happen. Leonardo da Vinci did not see a divide between science and art. To him, these were interconnected disciplines, each informing and enhancing the other. His studies of light and shadow in painting led to an understanding of optics. His explorations of anatomy contributed to more lifelike representations of the human figure in art. This holistic view allowed him to apply discoveries from one field to problems in another.

Although many of us know Da Vinci as the artist behind the Mona Lisa, his creativity wasn't confined to traditional art. He was a prolific inventor and engineer. His notebooks are filled with designs for flying machines, armored vehicles, and various machines that were ahead of his time.

AI is again bringing science and creativity together. In particular, the science behind generative AI is prompting an enormous shift in creativity. While the growth of AI has predominantly been lead by engineers, I think there will be a ‘coming together’ of the creative industries, science and engineering. This has been evolving in the film and gaming industries, and I think it will develop in exciting new ways, leading to career opportunities that do not exist now.

A studio filled with the tools of both scientific research and artistic expression, visualised by DALLE-3.

Exploration and growth, with greater consideration

The Renaissance saw significant global exploration and expansion, as explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan embarked on voyages that opened up new trade routes and led to the discovery of new lands. Less discussed in the history books are how the Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Middle Eastern civilisations also impacted European expansion. Growth was not one-way in the the 14th-17th century, just as it is not now. This had a lasting impact on global trade, colonization, and cultural exchange. Looking back at our history helps us to see where the opportunities were, and the enormous costs involved in discovery, from lost cultures to mass human displacement. Hopefully, this might help us to see into the future with more care.

Again, nations are coming together to explore the impact of AI, recognising its potential to transform and enhance human wellbeing, peace and prosperity, and acknowledging the risks. In November 2023 a group of nations met to discuss how AI might be designed, developed, deployed, and used, in a manner that is safe, in such a way as to be human-centric, trustworthy and responsible. This resulted in the Bletchley Declaration, which states:

Many risks arising from AI are inherently international in nature, and so are best addressed through international cooperation. We resolve to work together in an inclusive manner to ensure human-centric, trustworthy and responsible AI that is safe, and supports the good of all through existing international fora and other relevant initiatives, to promote cooperation to address the broad range of risks posed by AI.

Now, exploration and expansion must happen together, globally. AI has enabled an opportunity for greater co-operation between nations. How this plays out, only time will tell.

Education and scholarship flourished

The Renaissance witnessed a transformation in education and scholarship, with the establishment of universities and the proliferation of printed books due to the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg. This democratized learning, making knowledge more accessible and leading to increased literacy rates.

AI is again transforming education and scholarship by making learning more personalized, accessible, and efficient. It can support educators in designing curriculums, enhance student engagement, and accelerates research. For example, AI, combined with AR and VR, creates immersive learning environments that can simulate real-life scenarios. This is especially beneficial for technical and medical education (think heart surgery), where practical experience is crucial but not always feasible due to constraints like cost, safety, or accessibility.

I am one of the first PhD cohorts that have been able to use AI as a writing co-pilot. Being able to do this has sped up the process enormously. There are, however, large caveats to using AI in writing, including the phenomenon that AI hallucinates: absolutely everything must be checked. It should also be noted that researchers need to be experts in their field already to be able to usefully direct AI to help.

A futuristic library that merges traditional knowledge with digital innovation, symbolizing the evolution of education and scholarship in the AI era, visualised by DALLE-3.

Shift in political and economic power

Thinkers like Niccolò Machiavelli (The Prince), who analyzed the functioning of republics and the nature of power, influenced the development of political theory that would eventually shape modern republican and democratic systems of governance. He did this during an era of intense conflict with the influential Medici family. His thoughts gained influence due to their availability, being widely disseminated via the invention of the printing press.

The Renaissance also contributed to the gradual shift from theocratic to secular governance. It saw the emergence of strong, centralized states, as monarchs and rulers began to consolidate power, reducing the influence of the church in political affairs. This laid the groundwork for the modern nation-state system.

The seeds of mercantilist thought, which emphasizes the accumulation of wealth and resources by the state to increase its power, were planted during the Renaissance, and fully blossomed into the 18th century. This era also encouraged capitalism through the rise of the mercantile or trader class.

Now, the nature of power may again be shifting. In our modern world, it could be argued that they who own the data hold the power. AI, and importantly, the companies who are developing the AI and who hold the data on our combined lives, could enable a shift in power. The large technology firms like Google and Microsoft (who own 49% of Open AI) are better funded and potentially more powerful than most governments [this article shares an interesting opinion piece].

There are less seismic ways AI is developing political and economic thought, including around enhancing decision-making processes by providing leaders with comprehensive data analysis, predictive modeling, and scenario simulation. This might encourage a shift towards more evidence-based policy-making, potentially leading to more effective and responsive governance.

A global summit on AI ethics and governance, visualised by DALLE-3.

AI's automation of jobs has significant implications for labor markets, potentially leading to widespread displacement but also the creation of new types of employment. Economic theories may evolve to address these shifts, focusing on redistribution models, universal basic income, or new forms of worker retraining and education. AI is also a key driver of innovation, affecting economic growth models. In one paper, researchers at McKinsey predicted AI could add $4 trillion to the Australian economy alone.

As AI continues to evolve, so too will the theories and practices that seek to understand and shape its impact on society. I believe this is a space we need to be actively involved in, rather than passive. We get to direct how these policies develop and I encourage everyone to be involved in as many global consultations on how AI might influence us as possible. The more diverse our perspectives on the matter, the better the outcomes for everyone.

What’s next?

If you want to get involved in AI consultations, search for “[your country] AI consultation” and see what comes up that you might want to get involved with. If you are from the UK, here is a page from the UK government to keep an eye on: https://www.gov.uk/business-and-industry/artificial-intelligence#policy_and_engagement. You can get emails and respond when consultations come out.

Meanwhile, I’ve just released AERIAL, a new series of designer art prints which brings the beauty of nature into your world. The original pieces were created in collaboration with AI, then hand-painted in traditional oils and beeswax on linen canvas. They were then scanned in a ridiculously high resolution and are printed on archival cotton rag or canvas. You can view and purchase them in my shop.

The Moments That Become Us [SQ3], AERIAL Series, Sarah Daly (2023)