At Bitrock, we recognize the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence and the consequent necessity for a critical and in-depth understanding of this disruptive technology. Our commitment materializes in various initiatives, including the Bitrock AI Academy, a strategic program designed to equip our team with advanced skills, best practices, and cutting-edge tools in the AI landscape.
In parallel, we firmly believe in the importance of cultivating a conscious AI culture beyond the confines of our company. We pay particular attention to external stakeholders, with a primary focus on the younger generations, the true protagonists of the future shaped by AI.
In line with this vision, our Data Scientist Giovanni Vacanti recently shared his expertise on Artificial Intelligence with the students of the Liceo Classico Vittorio Emanuele II in Palermo. His direct testimony, which follows, highlights the diverse perspectives and the stimulating debate that AI sparks.
Giovanni Vacanti – Data Scientist @ Bitrock:
The most revolutionary technological advance in human history is arguably the ability to control fire, a skill our ancestors mastered between 1,000,000 and 750,000 years ago. This mastery sets humans apart from other species, granting us a unique status in the planet’s ecosystem. Today, we remain the only species capable of controlling fire.
But what does the discovery of fire have to do with artificial intelligence (AI)? This fascinating question sparked a lively discussion with the students of Liceo Classico Vittorio Emanuele II in Palermo, where I was invited to speak by their history teacher.
Taking advantage of this valuable opportunity offered by Bitrock and Liceo VEII to engage with the younger generation on the topic of AI, I worked with the students to classify the typical attitudes toward AI into three categories, each represented by a film:
- The “Enthusiasts” (or “Star Trek-ians”), who highlight all the potential benefits we could gain from using these technologies.
- The “Worried” (or “Skynet Scenario” group), who focus on the risks of a malevolent AI, even evoking the infamous Skynet from Terminator.
- The “Skeptics” (or “Dune Universe” group), who imagine a future without artificial intelligence, like in the world of Dune, where “thinking machines” are banned and human technological development has followed alternative paths.
Interestingly, the students were almost evenly divided between the enthusiastic and worried camps, with fewer expressing skepticism. Their mixed feelings reflect the complexity of the topic. Geoffrey Hinton, the “godfather” of AI and a Nobel Prize winner in 2024, noted: “For the first time in history, humans may have to interact with ‘things’ that are more intelligent than them.” This thought naturally evokes a range of emotions.
Returning to the theme of fire control, it was one of humanity’s earliest achievements that elevated us to a privileged status. Mastering fire provided protection and comfort, allowing humans to thrive without relying on unpredictable natural events. This newfound security fostered further intellectual development, widening the gap between humans and other species.
To master fire, our ancestors had to confront and understand, for the first time, their fear of it. Recognizing and analyzing an emotion like fear requires the ability of introspection- the ability we have to think about our own thoughts, what Douglas Hofstadter calls a “strange loop” in his famous works Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid and I Am a Strange Loop. By embracing this unique ability, they learned to transform a potential threat into a powerful tool for survival and progress.
Since then, technological progress has accelerated – from the agricultural revolution and the Bronze Age to the scientific discoveries of ancient Greece, the invention of the printing press in the 1400s, the scientific revolution, the industrial revolution, the advent of electricity, computers, the internet, and now AI. With each technological leap, humanity has again faced challenges and fears.
The Industrial Revolution, for instance, brought about significant changes, but it also sparked the Luddite movement, where workers protested against the mechanization of labor, fearing job loss and the dehumanization of work. Historical examples like this illustrate how the natural fear of the unknown can lead to resistance against progress. Yet, just as our ancestors learned to control fire, we have consistently found ways to adapt and embrace new technologies thanks to our unique reasoning abilities.
As we stand on the brink of a new era with AI, we must apply the same introspective thinking to navigate our relationship with this technology. While AI presents challenges that could threaten for the first time our unique status as the sole intelligent entity on the planet, it also offers immense opportunities for growth and innovation. It is thus essential to overcome instinctive fears and naïve enthusiasm, embracing our capacity for introspection, adaptation and critical thinking to find a way to coexist with AI in a secure, efficient, and peaceful manner.
A special thanks to Prof Calogero Profeta and Liceo Classico Vittorio Emanuele II for making this event possible.
Main Author: Giovanni Vacanti, Data Scientist @ Bitrock
