By d.b. Roderick
February 5, 2025
AI is the sparkling new tool catching everyone’s eye—its capabilities are powerful, and it moves at an incredible pace. But as someone who’s been fortunate enough to walk through life with a mix of humble beginnings and truly blessed experiences, I will say this with certainty: AI doesn’t have us.
It doesn’t have the quiet lessons life teaches in moments of joy, heartbreak, triumph, or failure. It doesn’t carry the richness of our individual journeys, the instincts shaped by experience, or the perspective gained from wisdom earned along the way. Sure, it can process data at lightning speed, or even imitate parts of what we do. But so much of what makes ideas meaningful, what makes art, decisions, storytelling human comes not from an algorithm, but from the soul.
I see AI as a tool, a partner in creation rather than a replacement. And like any tool, its value comes from how we, as people, use it. What we bring to the table – our human touch, emotions, and nuance still matters.
I’ve often found wisdom and inspiration in music, particularly jazz. I love Miles Davis. Kind of Blue is one of those recordings I come back to time and time again. Take “So What” or “Flamenco Sketches.” If I asked AI to perform a version of either piece, it could probably play the notes perfectly. But would it feel the drive to pause where Miles paused? Could it deliver the same emotion, make the same daring and unexpected choices? Could it tell the story only he could tell through that horn? I highly doubt it. That’s the essence of humanity – our ability to create something both deeply personal and universally powerful.
For me, that’s the lesson. While AI may be able to imitate, it doesn’t have the years of stories, the laughter, the struggles, the heart. It doesn’t have the touch of intimacy and connection that defines true creativity and decision-making.
I don’t see AI as something to fear. It’s something to partner with. Used thoughtfully, it can enhance what we do, but the final notes of any masterpiece must come from you. AI can play fast and clean, but it’s the human touch that makes it unforgettable. That’s where purpose and meaning come alive. And if you ask me, in a world of shifting trends and endless technological change, that heart we each bring to our work is irreplaceable.
About the Author
d.b. Roderick
d.b. Roderick is the Head of IIL Media and a Senior Producer/Director with an extensive career in television and film. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts and North Carolina Central University, he also studied music at the New England Conservatory of Music. His work as a producer, writer, and director spans major networks, including NBC, MSNBC, CBS News, and PBS Children’s Television Workshop. An Artist in Residence at Emerson College’s Cinema Studies Division, he has lectured at Harvard Medical School, Brandeis University, Boston College, and Boston University. His screenplay No Olvidado has earned 34 international awards, including honors from ISA, the Barcelona Independent Film Festival, and the London Global Film Awards. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Roderick is also a descendant of Sgt. William Carney of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, the first African American awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
