…before and with Google, we searched for things by typing their names.
We would write WHAT we’re looking for.
…with genAI, it’s all about prompting.
We really have to think HOW we tell what we are looking for.
… and what’s next? Maybe a purposeAI.
We will have to explain WHY we need to know it…
Humans, well maybe even all living organisms, have been always searching for something. Let's look at different dimensions of that.
We have needs.
Along the Maslow's pyramid, we could say that we've been searching because of physiological needs: finding water, food, a mate, etc. Once those are satified, we would search for safety, health and wellness, etc. Also the financial security is nowadays a big topic: how can I protect my future against inflation? How can i make sure not to outlive my moneay? We then search to satisfy the need for love and belonging: searching for friends is a big topic. How to avoid being lonely? Religions are searched to ensure that we are part of a community that we don't lose even after the death. Then we have the so called esteem needs: We want to be respected and accepted. We search for motivation... Finally, we search for self-actualization, self- development, etc.
We have access.
Over time, there has been a significant increase in the democratization of knowledge access. Nowadays, a larger number of individuals have the opportunity to pursue studies compared to previous years. More people can engage in reading, writing, accessing books, using the internet, watching movies, and traveling to various locations. It can be argued that the obstacles to acquiring knowledge and discovering information are considerably reduced today.
We have supply.
Various entities such as nations, religions, and companies profit from providing us with either what we desire or the means to search for it. Having knowledge about a product or service is essential before making a decision to purchase or utilize it. The greater our discoveries, the higher our consumption levels.
What is a question?
According to Felix S. Cohen, the individuals who have posed the world's issues have frequently been more deserving of the title 'philosopher' than those who have resolved them. Cohen also argues that philosophy revolves around queries without definitive solutions. Could it be that posing questions is a fundamental aspect of our progress, our advancements, and our civilisation?
What is an answer?
I remember a joke from my childhood in Poland:
A priest teaches relegion to kids. Let's say they are at the age of about 7 or 8. The priest states that God is everywhere.
A boy askes a priest, if God is also in Kowalski's basement.
The priest replies: Yes, my son. God is also in Kowalski's basement.
The kid: But Kowalskis do not have a basement!
... and now?
Well, like I said above the picture, maybe we are like this guy who was looking for something under the street light. When a person passing by asked him, what he was looking for, he said, that he lost his keys. The person aksed, where exactly he lost the keys as he wante to help and find them. The guy responded: Over there behind the trees. The person aksed surprisingly why he was not searching the over there. And the guy: Well, over there there is no light.
And so it goes…
My key takeaways:
1. Most systems are built on answers rather than questions.
2. There are more wrong answers to the right questions than the other way round.
3. The space beyond answers and questions is a paradise.
How to lead now…
Often we are in a hurry to respond otherwise we seem unprepared, so we miss out on the many possibilities, we miss out on paradise.