Over a very short period, a rapid and tumultuous technological transformation of our societies has triggered a self-exploratory public debate about what it means to be human, our potential, powers and place in the modern world. Are humans really just “outdated software” in dire need of a technological fix? Will a culture of machines out-compete a culture of humanity? In this thought-provoking book, Gry Hasselbalch invites readers to reconsider the relationship between humans and AI machines.

Exploring the distinctiveness of human power, the book addresses current debates about technology that portray humans as powerless and flawed, examining how and why human power must remain central in discussions about AI and technology. It sets out seven key traits which set humans apart from machines: Creativity, Intuition, Emotion, Life, Defiance, Love & Compassion, and Wisdom. Drawing on examples from across arts, literature, film, music as well as interviews with artists, musicians, and influential policymakers, the book explains how these traits provide a foundation for a new politics in the AI Machine Age. One that does not seek to diminish and reduce human power, but to protect and reinforce it.

If human power is not a computational process, then what is it? Human Power: Seven Traits for the Politics of the AI Machine Age gives human power a renewed voice in a public debate dominated by ideas about technological power, inviting the reader to understand humanity on its own terms. It will be of great interest to anyone with concerns about the role of technology in our lives, especially journalists, policymakers and educators.