What If Experience, Not Intelligence, Was Humanity’s True Pursuit?

Are We Overrating Intelligence? Maybe Experience Is the Real Goal

I’m reviving my blog after a long time, and this thought has been on my mind.

For years, I’ve been fascinated by intelligence—both human and artificial. But the more I think about it, the more I wonder: Was intelligence ever the real goal? Or was it always just a means to something different—experience? I feel so, and I want to explore this idea—especially in the context of the existential questions raised by AI, research, and the industries shaping our world.

As AI becomes more powerful, are we using it to enrich human experiences? And if AI helps us manifest more of our dreams, what checkpoints should we put in place to ensure it remains a tool, not a competitor?

The Human Drive: Wired for Experience

Human existence revolves around the drive to experience something—whether we realize it or not. Every day, individuals, societies, and businesses pursue experiences at different levels. And what fuels this? Desire.

At an individual level, desire unfolds as personal ambitions, dreams, and the pursuit of fulfillment—whether through relationships, knowledge, travel, or achievements. We seek experiences because they make us feel alive.

At a societal level, civilizations are built around shared desires—to progress, to sustain cultures, to explore new frontiers. The greatest human endeavors, from space exploration to technological revolutions, stem from collective desires to advance, connect, and redefine possibilities.

At a business level, companies exist to create and facilitate experiences—whether through innovative products, services, or ecosystems. Businesses don’t just sell goods; they sell enhanced realities—the experience of seamless connectivity, of freedom through mobility, of convenience through automation, and of uninterrupted power that fuels modern life. Every major industry is driven by the pursuit of richer, more meaningful experiences.

If we zoom out, all these desires for experience—whether individual, societal, or business-driven—fall into three broad categories:

1. Survival – The fundamental need to exist, be secure, and sustain life.

   • Individuals seek food, shelter, and stability.
   • Societies build infrastructures, healthcare systems, and safety nets.
   • Businesses operate in industries like healthcare, energy, and agriculture to meet basic human needs.

2. Multiplication – The urge to scale our experiences—to create more wealth, knowledge, and influence.

   • Individuals seek learning, relationships, wealth, and influence.
   • Societies expand cultures, ideologies, and global networks.
   • Businesses scale products, market reach, and technological impact.

3. Longevity – The desire to sustain, preserve, and extend experiences.

   • Individuals invest in health, memories, and legacy-building.
   • Societies protect heritage, preserve the environment, and plan for the future.
   • Businesses focus on sustainability, long-term value, and brand longevity.

Some might call this greed, while others argue that happiness should be the true goal. But perhaps happiness itself is an experience we chase—one that evolves, scales, and takes different forms across time.

The Road from Desire to Experience 

If we mapped out the journey from wanting something to actually experiencing it, it might look like this:

1. Desire Dreaming Phase – Every great invention or company starts with a vision. Maybe its a personal dream vacation, it’s the dream of flying cars, or curing diseases. This is where ideas are born.

2. Choice Generation Phase – The dream sparks what-if and how-to scenarios. Researchers run simulations. Engineers prototype solutions. Startups brainstorm business models. The human mind is a relentless simulator, generating multiple possible paths every second.

3. Choice Phase – We narrow it down. Which diet plan to follow? Which technology is viable? Which market has demand? Companies decide on product roadmaps. Scientists prioritize research directions. Entrepreneurs make go-to-market choices. The assessment of what’s worth pursuing begins.

4. Nurture Phase – The real work begins. Researchers experiment and refine theories. Startups raise funding and pivot as they learn. Companies test products and tweak business models. There’s iteration, failure, learning, and optimization happening here.

5. Manifest Phase – This is where something finally comes to life.

   • In research, a theory turns into a paper, a working model, or a proof-of-concept.
   • In business, an idea turns into a product, a market launch, or a company scaling up.
   • In engineering, this is where hardware is built, software is deployed, and innovations are commercialized.
     Whether we build (create from scratch) or buy (acquire through existing means), we’re materializing a desire into reality.

6. The Experience Phase – Finally, we get to live what we sought. But then… we want to repeat it, scale it, and make it last forever. That’s why research never stops, why businesses constantly evolve, and why technology keeps pushing forward. The cycle never truly ends.

AI as an Enabler: The Path to Experiencing More

Our ancestors worked tirelessly, but within a single lifetime, they could only explore some parts of the journey from desire to experience. Many of their dreams and ideas remained unfulfilled, leaving them to pass on their knowledge to future generations—hoping that their descendants would one day manifest what they themselves could only envision.

For centuries, progress was slow. The cycle of discovery, refinement, and realization stretched across generations. Some dreamed, some built, and some only saw the early seeds of their ideas take root—never the full manifestation.

Today, AI changes that.

For the first time, an individual can observe a natural phenomenon, dream about experiencing it in their own way, and bring it to life—all within a single lifetime. AI accelerates the journey from imagination to realization, bridging the gap between vision and execution in ways our ancestors could never have imagined. 

But as we integrate AI deeper into our daily lives, what checkpoints do we need to ensure AI remains a tool for enhancement, not dominance?

The Bigger Picture: From Experience to Power and Responsibility

Everything we do—individually, as societies, and through businesses—ultimately ties back to our fundamental drive for experience.

• Survival – AI plays a growing role in healthcare, food systems, and infrastructure, but who ensures it remains accessible and equitable?
• Multiplication – AI accelerates growth and innovation, but does it amplify opportunities for all, or only those with power?
• Longevity – AI helps preserve and extend our legacies, but who decides what is preserved and for whom?

The Real Fear: Not Intelligence, But Power

My fears are not about intelligence—whether artificial or natural. Intelligence, in itself, is neither good nor bad. My fears are about power—about the darker sides of human nature that emerge when control is concentrated, unchecked, or weaponized.

Who should ensure that AI serves the right purpose?

• Experts, shaping guidelines based on deep technical understanding of the domain in which it is being applied and experts from AI?
• Public representatives, ensuring AI serves the collective good?
• Legal authorities and governments, enforcing regulations and ethical boundaries?
• Or should it be a combination of all?

Checkpoints for AI’s Role in Human Experience

Checkpoint 1: Managing AI’s Own Needs

AI has fundamental resource requirements—data, compute, and energy. Left unchecked, AI systems could not only compete with each other but also with us for these important resources. AI must not develop unchecked "desires" for resources that lead to self-reinforcing loops of competition, potentially at our expense.

Checkpoint 2: Appending Human Thoughts to AI-Generated Thoughts

Humans must always have the ability to append, override, or reshape AI-generated thoughts. AI can suggest, but it must not define our creative process.

Checkpoint 3: The Transition from Choice to Manifestation—Bridging the Digital, Physical, and Biological Worlds

AI-driven manifestation in the real world—whether in machines or in biological systems—must have embedded human supervision at every level. The automation and control industry has long prioritized safety, implementing rigorous fail-safes, redundancies, and oversight mechanisms to prevent unintended consequences. This same level of caution must extend to AI as it takes on more autonomous roles in both physical and biological domains

Checkpoint 4: Savoring the Experience—A Uniquely Human Privilege

A simple yet crucial checkpoint: Are we actually enjoying the reality that our collective human consciousness has worked so hard to manifest? AI should serve as a tool to enhance our ability to dream and experience, but it must never become the experience itself.

AI can help us manifest experiences faster. If harnessed correctly, AI could help each of us pursue our own version of nirvana. The state of true fulfillment—true Nirvana—remains deeply human. The bubbling of desires, the longing to feel, to create, to explore—that is uniquely ours.

I am confident in human ingenuity. We have always adapted, evolved, and built safeguards around every great technological shift. AI will be no different. We will figure out how to handle these checkpoints, navigate the risks, and ultimately enhance the human experience—because at our core, we are driven not just by intelligence, but by the desire to dream, create, and live fully.

Final Thought: The Human Journey Continues

AI can help us get there faster, smarter, and safer, we will be the traveler in the journey from desire to experience to nirvana. The journey—the act of experiencing, feeling, and evolving—belongs to us.