Part One – December 2, 2025

I am not a fan of AI, but it appears to be a fan of me.  It would really like to be my personal assistant, one that is ever ready with its offers of unsolicited advice.  I am really tired of its little icon popping up here or there when I’m on my phone or computer.  It seems to be taunting me to press it for help that I didn’t even know I needed.   I know that I could turn to AI to help me write a birthday greeting, create a daily schedule, generate pictures and artwork, as well as any number of other tasks. It can also offer feedback on my writing, but I think I would rather stumble along creating my own thoughts about life.  It is these little things that challenge our creativity and make us feel good when we are successful.  Why would we want to cede our own innate talents to a computer-generated algorithm? What happens to our brain when we have to consult the oracle before we make every decision?   Will it cease to function the way it is supposed to?

AI offers all of this help free of charge which I find kind of amazing, but I understand nothing in life is free.  Ultimately, we all will be paying for this “convenience” with the invasion of our privacy or in the effects on the electric grid or … who knows.  According to a recent Pew Research survey, most Americans are feeling wary about AI. I don’t think we need a survey to tell us what we are already feeling about the loss of control over our lives.   We are just beginning to understand some of it, but there is a well of uncertainty that lies ahead.  We want the ability to weigh the positives against the negatives.  For some things, there is no going back to what once was—the once that sustained us for generations upon generations.  We want to understand the impact that it will have on the planet that we all share before we plow ahead into the great unknown. Meanwhile, the technology continues to leap ahead. I fear we will never catch up.

All of this has got me thinking about the things that AI cannot do (and hopefully never will).  Recently, I had a medical test that required some fasting which meant forgoing morning coffee.  God, I do love my morning coffee! There is something about the comforting smell that permeates the house while it is brewing and those first warm sips with fingers wrapped around the familiar ceramic mug. On a chill autumn morning, the warmth on my hands feels healing as I sit by the window watching the light of the day take shape. The day’s duties await, but not in these first few sacred minutes.  Let me sip my coffee first.    A programmed robot could never sense all the feelings that the warmth and aroma of a morning cup of coffee stirs up in the human heart.  Feelings of love and loss and hope. Feelings of appreciation for a fall day with the sun glistening on frosty autumn leaves and the smell of woodsmoke in the air.  Feelings of thankfulness to be alive on this planet with our loved ones. Those feelings are personal ones that cannot be replicated by a machine, and I hope never will.

I will be sharing more ideas about what AI cannot do in some future posts. What are your thoughts?

How Americans View AI and Its Impact on Human Abilities, Society | Pew Research Center