Is mimicking humanity the wrong path for artificial intelligence?

Experts are questioning whether trying to make artificial intelligence (AI) behave like humans is truly the best way forward.

Erik Brynjolfsson, a senior professor at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, believes that copying human thinking may limit innovation instead of expanding it.

Brynjolfsson has argued that the long-standing goal of creating AI systems that think and act like people, inspired by Alan Turing’s famous “Turing Test”, has led researchers to focus too much on imitation.

Instead, he suggested AI should aim to complement human skills by doing what humans cannot, such as processing massive data or optimising complex systems.

This “mimicry trap,” as some experts call it, could also have economic risks. By building AI tools that replace human jobs rather than enhance them, companies may increase productivity but also widen inequality.

Brynjolfsson says innovation should prioritise “augmentation,” where humans and machines work together to improve creativity, healthcare, and education.

He also added that the most valuable AI systems are those that help humans make better decisions, not just replicate them.

As the world races ahead in AI development, many believe focusing on collaboration, not imitation, could ensure that technology serves humanity rather than replaces it.