How AI is ushering in the knowledge society

The world we live in today is characterized by an ever-increasing amount of information, thanks to the internet and other technological advancements. And supercharged by our very human need to share most anything with each other like pictures of cute cats and endless variations of cupcake recipes.

The availability of vast amounts of data provided and liberated by the internet has transformed our society into an information society where information is readily accessible to anyone with a device and connection to it.

However, the value of information lies not in its quantity, but in its quality and relevance. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in, helping us transition from an information society to a knowledge society. Let’s try to explore the ways in which AI is transforming our world and how it is helping us make sense of the vast (almost endless) amounts of information available to us.

But first things first. What is an Information Society?

An information society is a society where the creation, distribution, and manipulation of information is the primary economic and cultural activity. The rise of the internet and other technological advancements has facilitated the creation of an information society, where information is abundant and easily accessible.

Information is readily available on any topic, and anyone with an internet connection can access it from anywhere in the world. However, the availability of vast amounts of information has also created new challenges, such as information overload and the need for tools to help us make sense of it all.

So what constitutes a Knowledge Society?

The UNESCO World Report addresses the definition in more detail but a quick summarisation would be that the knowledge society is a society where knowledge is the primary economic and cultural activity. Knowledge is defined as the understanding gained through experience, education, and research. Unlike information, knowledge is not just a collection of facts but a deep understanding of how those facts are related and how they can be applied. In a knowledge society, the value of knowledge lies not in its abundance but in its quality and relevance.

AI is the driving force behind the transition from an information society to a knowledge society as the technology enables us to extract insights and knowledge from vast amounts of data but without lacking a deeper insight in the subject matter.

Information is the raw material from which we then build everything else given that we possess the knowledge to do so and the capacity to process all that data. By adding AI to that mix we shift the value proposition from the raw material and labor to that of the product.

This is similar to how the early industrial age revolutionized the access and availability for produced goods. Before the invention of the knitting machine, socks were made by hand, by an army of knitters and by people in their spare time at home, and socks were something you own a pair of or maybe two if you were lucky.

The knitting machine changed all of that and made socks readily available to all and at much reduced prices. In the same way as you today don’t need to have the required skills to make your own socks you will not need to possess deeper insights into a subject to be able to draw conclusions from it.

AI is the great equalizer that levels the playing field and helps to empower us all to be able to do so much more than we ever had the skills or knowledge to do before. It will help in creating complex new ideas by breaking down the barriers to entry and free up time for us to do other things like learning how to knit socks.

By analyzing data and identifying patterns, AI can also help us uncover insights that would be impossible to discover manually. This is particularly important in fields such as healthcare and finance, where decisions need to be made quickly and accurately based on large amounts of data.

AI also has the potential to revolutionize education by making learning more personalized and adaptive. By analyzing data on how students learn and what they struggle with, AI can create personalized learning experiences that are tailored to each student’s unique needs. This can lead to better learning outcomes and a more efficient use of resources.

This coupled with the fact that you can have a personal tutor on hand every single waking moment that possesses the combined knowledge of the entire web makes this one of the most game changing and somewhat forgotten parts of the current AI revolution.

A society where not only information but also the ability to process that information could be one of the largest equalizing efforts that ever have come to pass. A world that knows less bounds and openly helps us understand our complex reality would be a boon for democracy.

While the transition to a knowledge society holds great promise, it also poses new challenges. One of the most significant challenges is the need for new governance models.

As AI becomes more prevalent in our society, we will need to develop new regulations and standards to ensure that it is used ethically and responsibly. This includes issues such as data privacy, bias, and transparency.

The transition to a knowledge society also raises questions about the future of work. As AI becomes more prevalent, it will inevitably lead to job displacement in some sectors. While I personally don’t feel any fears about AI replacing large groups of people to a life of endless unemployment. Or at least in the long term.

We will most likely see a transition and transformation of the workplace and several jobs and job titles will need to change. And quite a few of them will be lost forever. This means that we will need to develop new models for work and employment to ensure that everyone can continue to have job security as well as benefit from the transition of society.

We are at the start of this transition today and I for one see a bright and brave new world in a not too distant future.