Imagine planning a road trip across an unfamiliar territory: Do you solely rely on the GPS-generated route, or do you trust your own sense of direction, observation, and local insights to choose the best path? You may assume having good access to the internet. This choice reflects a broader concern about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in our daily lives. While AI has transformed industries and demonstrated remarkable capabilities, our increasing reliance on it raises important questions about its limitations and the indispensable value of human intuition.

At its core, AI operates on an input-output model. Data is fed into an algorithm, which processes it to generate a prediction or outcome. This system is powerful yet fundamentally limited by the quality and scope of its inputs. If the data is biased, incomplete, or flawed, the resultant outputs will reflect these imperfections—an adage often captured in the phrase "rubbish in, rubbish out." For example, a financial AI system analysing historical market trends might predict future stock movements, yet if unexpected events—like a global pandemic or political crisis—are omitted from the dataset, its predictions will be inherently flawed. Similarly, meteorological AI used for weather forecasting relies heavily on complex atmospheric models. While these models can accurately predict weather patterns based on existing data, they can be significantly impacted by unforeseen variables like sudden volcanic eruptions, which inject massive amounts of ash and aerosols into the atmosphere, disrupting established patterns and rendering previous predictions inaccurate. Before working as an academic, the second author frequently encountered challenges from laypeople questioning the Traffic Impact Assessment report, particularly when it included sophisticated traffic flow forecasting models. Although AI excels at recognizing patterns, it is not capable of imagining scenarios outside its training data, a rigidity that can create significant blind spots.

Parents can often tell when their children have done something wrong or lied because intuition—a unique insight that transcends pure logic by blending past experiences, emotions, and subconscious cues—enables them to detect subtle changes in behaviour. For instance, a parent may notice their child suddenly becoming unusually quiet and withdrawn after school, with slight shifts such as avoiding eye contact or fidgeting nervously, which can trigger a gut feeling that something is amiss even before any clear evidence emerges. This intuitive sense is akin to that of an experienced doctor who "just knows" when a patient is in trouble, even when diagnostic tests have yet to reveal any issues, highlighting how human intuition effectively bridges the gap between observable facts and deeper, often intangible, signals.

Similarly, the transformation of raw data into actionable wisdom highlights the limitations of AI. Data consists of unprocessed facts—numbers, measurements, and observations. When organized and contextualized, this becomes information. However, wisdom is the next stage: the judicious application of knowledge infused with understanding, foresight, and ethical considerations. While AI can efficiently convert data into information—such as generating a detailed weather forecast—it falls short when deeper judgment is required. For instance, determining whether to evacuate a city in the face of a predicted hurricane involves not just scientific data but also economic, social, and human factors that demand a level of insight beyond algorithmic analysis.

Over-reliance on AI risks reducing complex decisions to mere computational outputs. Delegating too much authority to machines may lead to the loss of broader context and a diminished capacity for creative, ethical reasoning. Wisdom cannot be neatly encoded into an algorithm; it is cultivated through a combination of experience, reflection, and an intrinsic understanding of the human condition.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our lives, we must remain mindful of its limitations and the irreplaceable value of human insight. Machines can augment our capabilities, but they cannot replace the instinctive and moral dimensions of human decision-making. The key is to use AI as a tool that complements our innate abilities. By blending the efficiency of technology with the depth of human intuition, we can harness the best of both worlds—ensuring that technology serves humanity, rather than constraining it.

Ultimately, making decisions well is not just about efficiency; it's about judgment, empathy, and understanding. Whether carving out a unique route on a road trip or navigating life’s complex decisions, it is the combination of logical analysis and intuitive insight that truly defines our humanity—a quality that AI, by its very nature, can never replicate.

By Dr. Bankee Kwan

Member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee and President of the Federation of Hong Kong-Shanghai Associations.

Dr. Philip Wong

Deputy Director of STEAM Education and Research Centre, Lingnan University.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of Orange News.

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