The AI autist: understanding feelings?

One of the most fascinating consequences of AI development is that it might help us better understand how we humans actually function.

If my intuition is right, what we currently call "feelings" could be revealed by AI as mere clusters of data—too complex for us to consciously break down into precise, identifiable concepts.

Suddenly, we could subject our emotions to a more scientific examination. Imagine being able to distill your feelings for someone into an exact formula—breaking down the precise percentages of rational and emotional ingredients involved.

We’d finally be able to understand the emotions and incentives driving us, separating which responses are predetermined from those we can control—gaining more self-awareness, agency, and responsibility in the process.

With AI helping us decipher how and why we feel a certain way, we could be empowered to make different decisions than our instincts would suggest—getting just a little closer to what we might call free will.