Beyond the Algorithmic Awe: Finding Wonder in Human Connection

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence, including OpenAI's purported solution to a Millennium Prize Problem and Google DeepMind's AlphaGenome Atlas predicting genetic changes, have elicited awe. However, this technological marvel risks overshadowing the profound impact of human-generated wonder.

Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at Berkeley, defines awe as "the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world." While AI's achievements fit this definition, Keltner's research, based on 2,600 stories of awe from 26 countries, revealed a surprising common source: the courage, kindness, strength, or overcoming demonstrated by other people.

This phenomenon, which Keltner terms "moral beauty," accounted for 95% of the awe experienced in his study when witnessed in actions taken by individuals for others. This finding contrasted with his team's initial expectation that nature and spiritual practices would be the primary drivers of awe. Moral beauty is one of Keltner's "eight wonders of life," a list that also includes collective movement, nature, music, visual design, spirituality and religion, big ideas, and life and death. While technology can intersect with these, many remain deeply rooted in human experience and connection.

Experiencing awe, particularly that derived from human connection, has documented benefits for mental well-being. Keltner's research suggests that awe can reduce activity in brain regions associated with ego, self-criticism, and anxiety. Moments of awe can foster a sense of community, interdependence, and collaboration, shifting focus from individual striving to shared experience.

The historical relationship between humans and technology has seen a recurring theme of awe. The term "technological sublime," coined by historian Perry Miller, described the awe inspired by technological achievements in the 19th century, which joined nature and morality as objects of wonder. David Nye's exploration of the "American Technological Sublime" in 1994 noted how awe inspired by innovations like automated factories and the moon landing could sometimes detach observers from a sense of human connection, likening people viewed from skyscrapers to "mere insects."

Similarly, the pervasive awe of being globally connected through smartphones can paradoxically lead to disconnection from those physically present. Albert Einstein, addressing Caltech students nearly a century ago, cautioned that "concern for man himself and his fate must always form the chief interest of all technical endeavors... in order that the creations of our mind shall be a blessing and not a curse to mankind."

As AI continues to impress, the need to acknowledge and cultivate human-generated awe remains critical. Keltner emphasizes that experiencing awe is accessible and does not require significant resources. He suggests that by simply taking a moment to wonder, individuals can find their own meaningful paths to awe, underscoring the fundamental human need for this profound experience.