How Curiosity Killed Humankind: A Critical Reflection on the Trajectory of Artificial Intelligence

This paper explores the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) development for humanity at large in a long-term perspective, warning against a trajectory in which foundational insights into how humans learn and acquire knowledge are eclipsed by a misplaced belief in the speed and ease with which human nature can be transformed. If the meta-level questions raised by AI are not addressed with careful consideration of existing epistemological frameworks—but instead guided by utopian visions of technological progress—we risk a degeneration of human intellect and the emergence of a dystopian future. The paper argues that although curiosity has historically been a driving force behind human advancement, the uncritical pursuit of AI may ultimately erode the foundations of human agency, creativity, and social cohesion. The paper examines the trajectory of Artificial intelligence through a four stage framework: the stages of Confusion, Escalation, Redistribution, and Degeneration.