by Dr. Jeffrey DeSarbo

Change is sometimes loud and unmistakable, sometimes quiet but just as profound. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the latter. It doesn't arrive all at once, but seeps quietly into daily life—appearing as convenience, efficiency, and helpfulness. At first, we rarely question it, yet beneath the surface, something more significant unfolds.

What we are experiencing now is not AI's peak. It's not even close. We're in the horse-and-buggy phase of a technology that's accelerating quickly. It is moving toward something much more powerful. The systems we use today—writing tools, chat interfaces, and recommendation engines—are early-stage versions. Yet even now, they are changing how we work, think, and interact. That alone should create urgency.

This is just the beginning. What lies ahead will speed up, not just move forward slowly. It will grow faster than any previous technology. Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, described this rapid shift in a CBS News interview. He said, "The amount of computation going into AI models is doubling every four months." This is more than a technical point; it matters deeply. It means the technology you use now will look very different soon.

When change outpaces our ability to process it, people often feel anxious and uncertain, not curious.

The Fear Feels Real Because It Is Built That Way

For many people, artificial intelligence is not just a neutral idea. It comes with emotions, influenced by years of stories in movies and books. Films like The Terminator did more than entertain: they told a story where machines become intelligent, systems act on their own, and humans lose control. The first two points have already happened. 

Even if we dismiss movie scenarios, they shape our feelings. AI seems powerful, unpredictable, even threatening. So, news of AI writing code, diagnosing disease, or outperforming humans often triggers instinctive, not just intellectual, reactions. The conversation shifts to: Is this out of control? Will this replace me? Are we building something unstoppable? These are not irrational—they’re human. Yet the questions are often fueled by our sources of information.

However, even experts in the field, such as 2024 Nobel Prize winner Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, also known as “the Godfather of AI,” have said in multiple interviews that there’s a 10-20% chance of AI leading to human extinction within 30 years. This is from the man who helped develop and popularize artificial neural networks, especially deep neural networks that mimic how the brain processes information. His work laid the foundation for modern AI systems like Gemini, ChatGPT, Claud, image recognition, speech models, and generative content.

Yet most public discussion of AI often comes from lesser “experts” who can embellish what is known to date, for better or worse, shaping our future. 

The Information Problem: Why Social Media and News Often Get It Wrong

Many people’s first exposure to AI is via social media and news headlines. These channels seek attention, often fueling fear, as discussed in a previous article on this website: Your Hijacked Attention: Fear, Anger, and the Case for Selective Ignorance.

Attention follows emotion, and fear, anger, and uncertainty trigger emotional responses. The result? Scary, attention-grabbing taglines get amplified, feeding uncertainty.

• “AI is going to take all jobs.”
• “Robots will replace humans.”
• “They are taking the humanity out of life.”
• “We are building systems that will destroy us.”

These narratives spread rapidly, not because they are the most accurate. They spread because they are the most engaging. They generate clicks, viewership, reactions, and conversation. They make for great news pieces, but also distort. What is often missing from these discussions is nuance. Stories rarely mention the limitations of current AI systems or the extensive safety and alignment research underway. They overlook the layered, incremental nature of deployment and the reality that many predictions are speculative, not immediate. 

Social media compresses complexity into fragments. News cycles reward urgency over depth. In that environment, it becomes hard to distinguish between informed analysis and emotionally driven speculation. If your understanding of AI is shaped mainly by these channels and by less-than-truly-informed industry experts, then there is a high risk that what you absorb is incomplete and often misleading. When information is incomplete, the brain fills in the gaps, usually with anxiety and fear.

The Parts We Don’t Hear Much About

AI is not just software. It is infrastructure. Behind every interaction stands a physical system of extraordinary scale. Data centers are filled with specialized processors. These operate continuously and use enormous amounts of energy. A single large AI data center can require hundreds of megawatts of electricity. That is roughly equal to powering a small city. Globally, data centers already account for about 1–2% of electricity use. With the expansion of AI, that number is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.

Most people are not well-informed about what happens behind the scenes. The topic is interesting, but not emotionally charged. News stories about technical advances, like security or improved AI accuracy, cannot compete for airtime with sensational stories on AI hallucinations, blackmail, or mistakes. As with most of the news, the focus is on stories that make us uneasy or curious about what is going wrong.

Emotional Intelligence as a Defense

Despite what we are exposed to in the public media domain, some of it is accurate and justifiable, but it is rarely balanced in a way that makes us feel safe and secure. Thus, it seems a very worthwhile endeavor to continue to learn and stay abreast, to the best of our capabilities, of what is transpiring in the world of AI, again, whether you like it or not, instead of just looking for everything that is bad or could go wrong, or praising the possibilities for what a better world it will make. Make it a bucket list goal to monitor what is happening in the field as a whole, stay informed, be prepared, and make realistic adjustments that keep “you in the know.”

Even the leading experts say they cannot predict the future with AI, but it's intriguing to hear their reasons. AI could exceed human abilities across multiple domains, not just in speed but in reasoning, creativity, and synthesis. Imagine having access to a system with the depth of Albert Einstein, the creativity of Leonardo da Vinci, and the brilliance of Stephen Hawking. These would not be just historical figures, but capabilities integrated into a tool and accessible instantly.

This is not a claim that such systems exist at this moment. However, it reflects the direction many researchers are discussing and working toward, including superintelligence and quantum computing. Such advances would transform our current horse-and-buggy systems into Formula 1 machines.

People Worth Listening To

Continual learning throughout life is crucial for keeping our brain networks healthy and active. Acquiring new knowledge should remain a priority and can also support emotional well-being. In a world filled with noise, credibility matters for good knowledge. If social media amplifies emotion, credible voices provide clarity. Learning who the thought leaders are and what they have to say is an endeavor worthy on any bucket list. Below is a list of some of the most influential and “in-the-know” people in the field of AI.

Geoffrey Hinton — Often called the “Godfather of AI,” his work on neural networks helped make modern AI possible. His recent warnings about AI risks carry weight because they come from someone who built the foundation.

Yoshua Bengio — A Turing Award winner focused on AI safety and ethics, advocating for systems that remain aligned with human values.

Fei-Fei Li — A leader in human-centered AI, emphasizing the importance of designing systems that enhance human well-being.

Demis Hassabis — A neuroscientist and AI leader focused on using AI to solve scientific and global challenges.

Andrew Ng — One of the most influential educators in AI, known for making complex ideas accessible to non-technical audiences.

Sam Altman — A central figure in bringing AI tools to the public, balancing rapid innovation with discussions about long-term impact.

Ilya Sutskever — A co-founder of OpenAI and one of the leading architects behind modern large language models, his work has shaped the capabilities of today’s most advanced AI systems.

Dario Amodei — CEO of Anthropic and a former OpenAI research leader — is deeply focused on AI safety and the risks posed by increasingly powerful systems.

Stuart Russell — a foundational AI theorist and co-author of one of the field’s most widely used textbooks — has been a leading voice in ensuring AI remains aligned with human interests.

Ray Kurzweil — a longtime AI futurist known for predicting technological acceleration — has popularized the concept of the “singularity” and the transformative potential of AI.

Nick Bostrom — A philosopher focused on existential risk, his work explores the long-term implications of superintelligent AI and the potential consequences for humanity.

Daphne Koller — A pioneer in machine learning and co-founder of Coursera, her work has helped bring AI education to millions while advancing probabilistic modeling.

Timnit Gebru — A leading voice in AI ethics, known for highlighting bias, fairness, and the societal risks of large-scale AI systems.

Joy Buolamwini — Founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, her work exposed bias in facial recognition systems and pushed for more equitable AI development.

Cynthia Breazeal — A pioneer in social robotics at MIT, focused on human-AI interaction and how machines can better understand and respond to people.

Mira Murati — A key leader in the development of advanced AI systems at OpenAI, helping guide the deployment of tools like ChatGPT to the public.

Other Credible Ways to Learn (That Don’t Fuel Fear)

If social media and headlines distort the conversation, then where should people turn?

Podcasts Worth Your Time

• Lex Fridman Podcast — Long-form, deeply thoughtful interviews with AI leaders, scientists, and philosophers. The depth and nuance here are the opposite of headline culture.
• Hard Fork — Hosted by journalists at The New York Times, this podcast explores AI developments with a balanced, informed perspective.
• The AI Alignment Podcast — Focuses specifically on the long-term implications and safety considerations of advanced AI.

Books That Provide Depth (Not Hype)

• Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark — Explores the future of AI and what it could mean for humanity, blending science with philosophical insight.
• Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom — A foundational text on the potential risks and trajectories of advanced AI systems.
• Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans by Melanie Mitchell — A grounded, accessible explanation of what AI is—and what it isn’t.

Courses and Platforms

• Coursera — Offers beginner-friendly AI courses, including those taught by leading experts like Andrew Ng. Becoming familiar with AI deepens real-life understanding.
• edX — Provides structured learning from major universities.

Why Understanding AI Belongs on a Bucket List

A bucket list is not just about experiences. It is about engagement. It reflects what we decide is worth leaning into rather than avoiding. Learning about AI is not about becoming an expert. It’s about being better informed so we can reduce our uncertainty about things we barely understand, beyond composing emails, cheating on homework, and writing wedding speeches. Take action to be responsibly informed. Refuse to remain passive in the face of profound change.

Because the reality is this: you can choose to ignore AI and let others shape the future for you. Or you can step up, learn, understand, and be part of shaping how AI impacts your work and your life, and your family’s lives. By putting "Learning AI" on your bucket list, you can take meaningful, proactive steps.

The pace of change supports beginning today. These horse-and-buggy days will not slowly evolve into a Formula 1 system that gives everyone equal time to adjust, as in past technological advancements. At some point, the acceleration will become apparently undeniable. And those who have not engaged with the system risk being left behind, not because of failure but because of inattention.

Yes, something big is happening. Not all at once, but continuously and quickly. Not loudly, but persistently. It is reshaping how humanity and the world operate, how decisions are made, how work is performed, and how intelligence itself is defined.

The fear surrounding AI is real because of the significant uncertainty. But much of that fear is amplified by incomplete, emotionally driven information, by less than qualified and credible sources. Your increased understanding changes that. It replaces distortion with clarity. It replaces anxiety with structure. It replaces passivity with agency. And in a world moving at exponential speed, that shift may be one of the most valuable things you can give yourself.

Not someday. Now.

Dr. Jeffrey DeSarbo, is a neuropsychiatrist and author of The Neuroscience of a Bucket List: Getting the Most from Your Brain and Life. In addition to being a frequent guest on various media shows and lecturing internationally, he has a practice in Garden City, New York where he works with a variety of patients to achieve optimal mental health.

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