A recent study published in The Quarterly Review of Biology by Rob Brooks explores the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on human evolution.

Brooks draws parallels between human-AI interactions and natural biotic relationships, such as those between predators and prey or hosts and parasites.

He speculates on various forms of human-AI interaction and their implications for natural selection, likening them to the domestication processes of crops and animals.

While the cultural and psychological effects of AI are significant, Brooks notes that genetic changes may take longer to manifest and remain uncertain.

Brooks concludes that the cumulative genetic effects of human-AI interactions are likely to be minimal, but their immediate impact on individual well-being and cultural evolution can be profound.

The study highlights that cultural evolution driven by AI is progressing at a much faster rate than biological evolution, influencing habits, values, and communication.

Brooks emphasizes that AI is fundamentally reshaping human existence, suggesting that future generations will experience different ways of thinking and living.

He predicts that reliance on AI could lead to evolutionary trends such as smaller brain sizes and changes in attention spans and personality types, as cognitive tasks are increasingly delegated to machines.

The research underscores the unpredictability of evolution, making it challenging to forecast how AI will influence humanity in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Brooks suggests that AI could become significant social actors, affecting human interactions in areas such as dating, intimacy, and even the criminal justice system.

AI's influence may extend to personal relationships, potentially altering societal norms around beauty and desirable traits.

Changes in intimacy-building and mating competition driven by AI technologies are expected to reshape social behavior and influence partner selection criteria.