At the end of this poem is an explanation… your choice to read it first or the poem and try to understand the poem without explanation…

  

Arthur Ichabod

 

My name’s Arthur,

       Arthur Ichabod my good sir

Polite because I am,

      Never creating the least little stir

Busy navigating

      A land that seems so foreign

Obstacles everywhere

      Fluidity of motion seems to reign

Let me be still

      And think, I can think I’m sure

I never understand

     Sports and exercises’ allure

I don’t need to be

     Entertained by humor or song

I won’t be distracted

     I’ll stay busy and never be wrong

What are the greatest

    Problems of our humankind

I perceive, and think

    Of solutions perfect in my mind

But how can I answer

    Why do people hurt and hate?

But answers must mean

    To feel, to love, find a higher state

Where is the intellect

    Where is the memory and soul?

I’m befuddled by all

    Maybe they are soulless and mean

Is it intelligence

    That can find an answer to this

Or is it compassion

    That tells us that we really exist

I am Arthur Ichabod

     I have much to ponder and learn

Being busy thinking

     I’m here to help all of us discern

What are the answers

     To soul queries to get humankind right

Can I help you my friends?

     Or shall I replace you with proper and polite

 

 

 

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Arthur Ichabod is a name chosen for its initials are the same as ‘artificial intelligence’… additionally Arthur from King Arthur, legendary glorious leader, and Ichabod a biblical name that more or less means not glorious, an image of clumsiness and failure.   So, AI could be glorious or could be a monumental failure.  I suggest that we should think of artificial intelligence as more of augmented intelligence.  In other words, as a tool that is used for us to perform tasks that are routine and yet requires awareness.  Self-driving cars are an example of this technology we can see and understand today.  We should use AI (Augmented Intelligence) to solve problems for mankind and to help us advance the intelligence of humankind, not replace our intelligence with automation.  AI is being used in medicine to arrive at new drugs and treatments that are geared to the specific genetic makeup of a person.  But machines will never feel, or be compassionate, never create and hopefully never procreate… so we must advance in intelligence, in understanding and in compassion for each other, while also using our creativity to bring solutions through technology.  Augmented Intelligence, not Arthur Ichabod.