"AI doesn't take away thinking—it shows whether it existed": Jamshid Muslimov on education, technofeudalism, and semantic independence

AI doesn't take away the ability to think, but rather reveals it: Jamshid Muslimov on education, technofeudalism, and independent thinking.

The development of artificial intelligence is outpacing society's ability to comprehend its consequences. Are people truly delegating their thinking to machines? What changes are needed in schools and universities? Which specialists will remain in demand, and why are tech platforms becoming a new political force? Economist and public figure Jamshid Muslimov, journalist and publicist Shokir Sharipov, and host Aziz Soliev discuss these questions in the Kun.uz podcast.

"Did we even think before artificial intelligence?"

Shokir Sharipov:

We have reached a point where humans aren't the only ones capable of reasoning and formulating thoughts. We have created machines to which we are beginning to delegate this ability, sometimes without fully understanding the consequences. How do you assess the current situation?

Jamshid Muslimov:

I'd start by analyzing the very assertion that we've delegated thinking to artificial intelligence. This implies that we used to think independently, but have now handed this function over to technology—just as we once stopped walking and started driving. But did we really think before these systems emerged?

Shokir Sharipov:

It depends on what you define as thinking. In journalism, for example, many now enter a prompt into a system and receive a ready-made text, instead of writing it themselves.

Jamshid Muslimov:

That's a good example. But let's consider how journalists worked before the advent of artificial intelligence. In my observations, independent-thinking journalists are very few. Questions are often formulaic and already contain a predetermined answer—the interviewee only has to say "yes" or "no." This isn't just a problem in journalism. Journalists are obliged by their profession to ask questions on behalf of society, based on its problems and interests. But do they understand the essence of the issue they're working on? Does he understand why this particular question is important? Stereotypes aren't a problem for just one profession, but for people in general.

Shokir Sharipov:

Then describe the image of a thinking journalist. You're criticizing the existing model, but what should the alternative be?

Dzhamshid Muslimov:

You've placed me in a situation where thinking begins. A person is confronted with the unknown and must engage in a kind of sparring match with it. I don't have a ready-made image. I can only say that, rereading my old texts, I see the influence of pre-existing thought patterns and unprocessed assumptions.