Can Artifi cial Intelligence Outsmart Humans?

 Can Artifi cial Intelligence Outsmart Humans?

DR MOHAMMAD AMIN MALIK

amin_malik_ku@hotmail.com

From the realm of science fi ction to a serious scientifi c debate

Where we go, there we are

Amid severe pushes and pulls I managed to get o and 

fi nally had a sigh of relief at the last station.

The infl uence of socio-cultural factors 

on human beings is so different and 

distinct that the sway of certain instincts 

will always characterize them. The inherited traits are palpable to bring forth who we are and how we 

are accustomed to handle the different affairs of life. Those habits will never go 

away and cannot be forgot-ten so easily. They reveal and represent us. We are 

deeply engrossed to do what we have learnt or what we feel is right to do. 

Whatever habitual incli-nations we have acquired over a period of time, fi nal-ly becomes our identity.

Wherever we are, we the red cheeks can never play hide and seek. We 

are explicitly recogniz-able. We are so obsessed with our own set rules 

that we hardly care about other things that coexist with us. 

We never feel any lesser than a King. 

We have made the mark of our culture and charac-ter across the world. We 

have proved our worth and spread our wings. 

Sometimes, in a lighter vein, we are also good 

at throwing tantrums that shows how humorous at 

times we can be. We make unceasing efforts to keep our funny bone tickling 

so that others will cher-ish our company. It’s our escape from the mental 

trauma that we have been incessantly subjected to.

We have always lived a king size life and never 

stopped sharing subtle humor to unburden our worries. We do our best 

against the odds and don’t give up so easily. We least bother what others think 

about us but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t intro-spect. 

Circumstances might have turned hostile but that doesn’t mean we should 

complicate the things and make things impossible for others. We should value 

our resources and make every effort to use them in the best possible way and 

also usable for others. We shouldn’t destroy anything so as to vent our anger and arrogance.

It was bone chilling on 5th Jan 2020, when I was traveling in train from 

Budgam to Banihal. 

The moment it halted at Nowgam station, sea of commuters rushed inside 

in one go. Within no time, it was jam packed and passengers could be seen 

yawning, having power naps in between, some 

sitting on their haunches, others busy in munching peanuts and occasion-

ally there were shouts at someone to switch off the transistor. Once you are 

in, it’s too hard to snail out, get off before the fi nal stop. The scene stupefi ed, 

and instantly reminded me of Khushwant Singh’s novel ‘Train to Pakistan’. 

I was surprised to see how some people managed to get inside the compart-

ment through window panes that too in winters when they had put on so 

many layers. I wondered how people can be so hard 

on themselves. The way they managed the hori-zontal entry of passengers 

through the window panes was astonishing for me. 

Everyone was in such a hurry as if they were run-ning for their life.

This train has become a mess. We had rendered its seats to shreds. There 

was dirt and dust every-where. The lavatories were complete pit. No one 

could dare to enter inside and bear that nauseat-ing smell. We have kept 

the things in a very ugly state which doesn’t go 

well with the sweet and sacred talks we preach about morals. By the time 

we will start cogitating, 

everything would have been destroyed and disap-peared. Just for the fare of 

Rs 50 from Baramulla to Banihal, doesn’t mean we 

hold the license to turn so brutal and justify the out-rage by the bush behav-ior to wreck the valuable assets?Amid severe pushes 

and pulls I managed to get off and fi nally had a sigh 

of relief at the last station. At Banihal, without wast-ing any time, I booked my 

seat in an Innova to cover 

rest of my journey with-out having any idea about the road that lies ahead. 

For hours, the traffic moved at a snail’s pace 

and all we could do was to wait for our turn to cross 

safely the most dangerous spots. The landslides and 

falling shooting stones gave us goose bumps but 

we weathered the storm. Even when we were stuck 

in a bad situation, we couldn’t stop laughing, the 

moment when someone cracked the joke “These 

mountains are afflicted with ‘Stone Cancer’, 

(Yemun Pahadun Chu 

Stone Kunsar Gamot).We were famished and sus-

tained the terrible day on biscuits. We were fortu-

nate to have been strand-ed for more than 5 hours 

only. Finally we crossed the tragic locations and 

stopped at a restaurant for dinner. The co passengers 

treated themselves with the feast of Yakhni which 

was out of elements. 

Others gorged on delica-cies of chicken. Given the 

size and taste, they felt as if ‘Kawwa Biryani’ was 

served to them.I was rather feel-

ing chuffed but dead exhausted, by the time, I 

reached Bathindi, Jammu .I couldn’t believe the 

way this place has been developed. Just few years 

back, there were only two villas visible from the 

main road, one belonged to the grandfather of my 

cousin Illyas Abass, and another was the mansion 

of Abdullahs. Next day in the afternoon, I planned 

a visit Wave Mall, which is located nearby. On the way I encountered fre-

quent traffi c jams, reason being winter rush from 

the Valley. As usual, here also, they stop in the 

middle of the road. They get engaged in the side 

talks and cause inconve-nience. Inside the mall, 

I pursed my lips to see hundreds of Kashmiris 

strolling around. I could only fi nd them as potential 

buyers.On my return, near Makka masjid, I heard cries and there was a 

lot commotion in the middle of the road. Amid the crowd, I could notice 

that a lady was hit by an intoxicated biker. Only Kashmiris came forward 

and took her to the hospi-tal. They attended her and did what they could do. As a matter of fact we all 

are in pain, but we could never see anyone suffer-ing. We are one of a kind 

who are known for gen-erosity. It’s too hard to be happy but we can’t cease 

to be helpful to others. Future may be uncertain 

but that doesn’t mean we have to be hopeless. Being vulnerable, doesn’t mean 

we have to beat the drums of victimhood. Always have fi rm faith and never stop doing your bit; as for good deeds the rewards are always in abundabundance.