When you hear “AI,” you think Artificial Intelligence. I would like you to think about Authentic Intelligence. Wikipedia defines Authentic Intelligence as “a type of intelligence that is based on cognitive capabilities of individuals with self-awareness, emotional inputs, moral and ethical reasoning, creativity, adaptability, empathy, and consciousness of experience… Authentic Intelligence uses data combined with common sense and experience to build and maintain relationships.“
Authentic Intelligence was introduced to me a few months back in a discussion on AI. Authentic means genuine, NOT artificial! The word “Authentic” seems to keep coming up in various discussions that I have been having. Why? It’s worth noting that “authentic intelligence” as a term is not standard within the field of cognitive science or artificial intelligence. However, it can be understood as a way to differentiate between the intelligence exhibited by machines and the inherent intelligence of living organisms, particularly humans – us.
Authentic Intelligence was used in my first Improv class to describe what the teacher was looking for from us in communicating with the other students in our class. Authentic Intelligence was used in a recent National Speaker’s Association meeting to describe what they were looking for in connecting with an audience. Authentic Intelligence is used by me in communicating with my staff at work. To my friends and family. It’s real, genuine – Authentic. So, despite the oncoming of Artificial Intelligence, Authentic Intelligence is still key in our communications. Be Authentic!