Sharks vs AI vs Humans – Human Will Wins Every Time
Why Human Will, Love, and Adaptation Will Always Triumph Over AI Super Intelligence
This week in Davos during an interview with WSJ columnist Joanna Stern, Dario Amodei, CEO Anthropic, said, “There are a lot of assumptions we made when humans were the most intelligent species on the planet.” Two thoughts come to mind:
- Has anyone ever measured the intelligence of a shark? I doubt humans are the smartest species.
- Machines are not a species.
The idea of Super Intelligence, whenever it comes, should not be something to fear. And the idea that humans will face a reckoning ignores the most powerful force on the planet: human will.
From the moment early humans discovered fire and invented the wheel, we have adapted to every challenge and opportunity the world has presented. The printing press reshaped how knowledge was shared. The assembly line revolutionized production. The internet connected the world in ways our ancestors couldn’t have never imagined. And now, we stand at the brink of another profound advancement: artificial intelligence.
Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, made the striking claim—that AI could surpass human intelligence in nearly every task by 2027. It’s the kind of statement that stirs both awe and anxiety. But if history has taught us anything, it’s this: humans endure. With each innovation, we haven’t been replaced; we’ve evolved. Fire didn’t end us—it warmed us. The wheel didn’t outpace us—it carried us. The printing press didn’t outthink us—it educated us. So why, now, are we so quick to assume that AI—something we created—will be the exception?
The truth is, this isn’t the end of humanity. It’s an opportunity. AI has the potential to free us from the grind of repetitive tasks, the constant pursuit of productivity, and the systems that have bound us to survival mode for so long. What it offers us is a gift: the chance to focus on the uniquely human. To ask ourselves, not “What will AI take from us?” but “What more can we do now?”
This is where we must lean into the More Effect.
The endurance of humanity comes down to a simple truth: there is nothing stronger than the human will.
The will to survive. The will to connect. The will to love. These traits—our courage, hope, and optimism—are what separate us from machines and define our role in the future. AI can outthink us, but it cannot hope. It cannot feel. It cannot love. And it is those uniquely human qualities that have carried us through every revolution and will guide us through this one.
Imagine a world where AI manages the mundane, giving us the freedom to tackle what truly matters. For the first time, we could redirect our energy to solving humanity’s deepest problems—poverty, inequality, homelessness, hunger, and the environment. We could stop defining our worth by what we produce and start measuring it by how we connect, create, and care for one another (what I call Lifeonomics).
This isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a human one. It’s a call to remember who we are at our core.
Determination is the wake-up call to the human will.
(anonymous fortune cookie)
AI is not here to replace us. It’s here to amplify us, to challenge us to become more, and to give us the tools to build a world that reflects the best of what humans are capable of.
So, let’s embrace this moment with the same spirit that brought us through every other leap in history. Let’s recognize that the future isn’t about who or what is smarter—it’s about what we choose to do with the tools we’ve been given. The question isn’t whether humanity will endure—it’s whether we will choose to become more.
The final question is simple, but profound:
Are you awake?
About the Author:
Jeremy Victor is the Chief Customer Officer at Noom, author and host of the Business @ the Speed of AI newsletter and podcast (coming soon). He’s also the creator of The More Effect, a framework for unlocking human potential in the age of AI. With nearly 30 years of experience at the forefront of shaping business through transformative technologies, strategy, and leadership, he brings a modern view to the future of work, life, and leadership combining insights from his corporate leadership with lessons learned from coaching youth sports athletes.
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Business @ the Speed of AI is a narrative of our time about the modernization of how we work, live, and lead written by Jeremy Victor. Interested in more? I encourage you to drop me an email at [email protected] or sign up for my Substack Business @ the Speed of AI.
Did you know?
It will take 48 years for the representation of white women and women of color in senior leadership to reflect their share of the U.S. population.
#PARITYNOW is my personal mission to close the gender leadership and pay gap, fix the broken rung (the first critical step on the corporate ladder that women often miss), and create equal opportunities in leadership, work, and life. I’m committed to raising awareness and driving change for true gender parity across all industries.
This cause was born realizing my daughters will be 68 and 64 when true parity is achieved. Why aren’t more dads outraged by this? Right? Is it blind bias? I don’t know, whatever the answer it, I’m making it my mission to fix this. Will you join me?
Achievement knows no color. — Abraham Lincoln
Achievement knows no gender. — Jeremy Victor
You have to agree with this following statement, if not, I’m ready for the debate. It is time for change.
There is literally no difference, based on gender or race, in anyone’s ability to perform a task, make a decision, or lead in the modern workplace.