The rapid development of AI (AGI) has been astonishing recently. Starting with ChatGPT, many AI systems have been announced, surprising people and increasingly incorporating them into work and personal life.
In fact, through using AI tools often in my own work and life, with each update of the latest information, I feel surprised and at times despair “If this is possible, are my previous skills unnecessary?”, yet I also feel the hope that “This is possible too.”
Through interacting with such AI (AGI), I have found commonalities with the tea ceremony.
1: Essential understanding is necessary for proper utilization
First of all, both require very deep contemplation and understanding. The tea ceremony is not just about drinking tea or making tea. There are etiquette, manners, unique Japanese aesthetic sensibilities, and connections to Zen.
Similarly, AI (AGI) is not just a simple calculator, but something that is developed through understanding human intelligence itself. In other words, it is derived from the entirety of human intelligence, not just some superficial aspects.
2: AI and tea ceremony are just tools
Similarly, tea ceremony and AI (AGI) are ultimately just tools. How they are used determines everything. The tea ceremony can just be drinking tea, but when practiced with awareness of Zen teachings, it becomes a profound experience. Initially, some may feel AI (AGI) is not immediately usable or does not provide desired answers. This stems from not yet fully understanding how to use and apply AI (AGI). Through deepening understanding of AI (AGI), trial and error reveals how to obtain desired responses.
3: Mastering usage leads to creativity
Balancing tradition and innovation is crucial to leverage tea ceremony and AI (AGI) skillfully. Tea ceremony has a long history, giving birth to many schools of thought. Likewise, AI (AGI) builds on previous human knowledge to make new proposals. Therefore, the past can inform creative applications for the future.
4: Experiencing them reveals insights
Tea ceremony is not just about drinking tea. It offers a window into Japanese identity, history, spirituality and culture. Similarly, hands-on experience with AI uncovers many insights. Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. If you haven’t tried AI (AGI), I recommend giving it a try – it will surface new perspectives.
5: Learning from tea ceremony’s evolution
AI (AGI) advancement raises concerns like “My skills will become useless” and “I’ll lose my job.” Throughout history, many occupations disappeared while new ones emerged. Perhaps this cycle is simply accelerating. The definition of jobs will change. Adapting to the evolving times may be key to survival, as tea ceremony’s history illustrates. Tea ceremony adapted its role to societal changes. To survive, it became more than just drinking tea. Therefore, it is best to enjoy it without rigid expectations.
