The Human Advantage in an Artificial Age

As artificial intelligence grows smarter and more efficient, the real battle may not be about machines surpassing humanity but about whether humans squander the qualities that still set them apart. With the recent news of a Chinese robot beating the human record in a half- marathon, there is renewed debate on how AI could outsmart human beings. Many experts see it as yet another proof of impending disaster as AI takes over most of the jobs in the years to come. This is not the first time when...

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The Human Advantage in an Artificial Age

As artificial intelligence grows smarter and more efficient, the real battle may not be about machines surpassing humanity but about whether humans squander the qualities that still set them apart. With the recent news of a Chinese robot beating the human record in a half- marathon, there is renewed debate on how AI could outsmart human beings. Many experts see it as yet another proof of impending disaster as AI takes over most of the jobs in the years to come. This is not the first time when human civilization is facing a technological revolution that has the potential to impact society and economy in a profound manner. There is, however, a crucial difference with AI driven revolution that is often missed out. The first industrial revolution happened because steam engines were invented and it led to mechanization of production. It was followed by discovery of electrical energy and technologies to harness it for mass production. Next wave of evolution was led by computerization and automation in practically all the fields covering both offices and industrial shop floors through mainframes, personal computers, and programmable logic controllers. While all these leaps in technologies are very different in terms of the specific underlying inventions, they all have one thing in common. They were all invented to do things that were humanly impossible to do. One steam engine or electric motor could do the work that perhaps hundreds of humans would never be able to accomplish even with their collective muscle power. Automation of the manufacturing assembly line would deliver speed and accuracy that human beings would never be able to achieve. Beyond Human Technological advances in Telecommunication, for that matter, have simply expanded the range of 'hearing' and 'seeing' far beyond what human vocal chords, ears, and eyes could manage to do on their own. Computers, at its core, are essentially doing the math and calculations at a speed and accuracy that the human brain can never achieve. To add to that, machines using all these innovations in technology would work tirelessly without any fatigue for a duration that human beings would never be able to match. Although AI is yet another highly potent technological innovation, it is not as straightforward as the previous ones. It can absorb and synthesize huge amounts of data that the human brain perhaps cannot do. Ability of AI to answer any question reasonably well using all the global knowledge made available to it, summarize enormous amount of data and text quickly, quickly draw a complex picture based on instructions given verbally, predict a trend, recognize and highlight a specific face in a fraction of a second from millions of faces, write code based on simple English instructions, are all examples where the speed and accuracy of underlying computation is delivering what human being cannot match. However, there are several areas where human beings are trying to improve AI so that it can, some day, match or exceed capability that human beings themselves already have. Examples of this include the ability of AI to completely replace a human driver safely in all situations, understand full context or an intent behind a statement, carry out complex and well-coordinated mechanical activity in response to various unpredictable situations, react appropriately by correctly assessing the emotions at play, integrate generated code appropriately in the existing larger systems landscape, and so on. In such cases, AI is not exhibiting any capability that is humanly impossible to match. On the contrary, AI is trying to catch up with what humans can do easily. In other words, in these areas, AI is trying to become what humans already are. This very aspect separates AI driven technology revolution from all the previous ones. Direct Competition It is often said that AI and humans will co-exist in the future, and people will need to change their ways of working. It is obvious that AI is also going to directly compete with humans in many sectors. Equipment with an embedded chip on-board do compete with humans even today. A case in point is household equipment such as ‘intelligent’ washing machines and dish-washers where robots to do vacuum cleaning and floor mopping do compete with humans offering these services. A human household help can perform these activities far better than what a machine can do. However, given an affordable choice, an increasing number of households prefer machines over human maid services for a reason. Human household help may not always be punctual, sincere, honest, and reliable. But machines are. Uncontrolled emotions, anger, frustration, laziness, indiscipline, absenteeism do affect humans - but not AI driven machines (at least till the time AI itself acquires emotions of its own, and becomes self-aware some day). This aspect of comparison between AI and humans is likely to become far more prominent and consequential as AI driven machines and robots become more and more intelligent and thereby start competing far more effectively with human capability in many spheres. Competition is said to bring about improvement. Just as AI improves itself through continuous learning to mimic human behaviour and actions, human workforce also needs to improve itself by avoiding behavioural issues and inefficiencies referred to above. Otherwise, humans would lose the natural advantage that they still enjoy over AI, and which is likely to continue even in the foreseeable future. Employers or consumers in the labour-intensive service sector will accept AI driven machines and robots with all its known limitations if it turns out to be a better net-net deal in comparison to services offered by humans. This specific aspect has tremendous significance for India. Many Countries from the developed world do not have a young population with reasonably good IQ in required numbers. India, on the other hand, has it in abundance. One could compare it with abundant availability of Thorium or Sunlight in India as compared to the Western world. Consequently, unlike many Countries in the world that have a Uranium centric approach towards nuclear energy, India's approach needs to be centered around Thorium. India's strategy related to renewable, non-conventional, green energy needs to be based on solar power. Indian Context Strategies for adopting AI in the Indian context need to be similarly tailored for the Indian context. India needs to adopt AI in the areas where it clearly has an advantage over humans in terms of speed, throughput, ease of use, accuracy, and efficiency. However, the use of AI needs to be judiciously controlled in areas where AI is trying to catch up with the capabilities of the human mind and body. Several labour-intensive services such as drivers, caregivers for the elderly people, parcel delivery, security guards, maintenance and repair of various equipment, are all examples in that category. Educational policies and overall work culture in the Country needs to appreciate this reality. Just as AI experts are trying hard to 'teach' AI algorithms and improve them through supervised learning, another set of experts need to sensitize and teach humans on how to understand, appreciate, preserve, and further hone the significant natural advantage that they already have over AI. Despite all the technological breakthroughs in AI, in many areas, still, it is a battle that humans will lose only if they choose to. (The writer works in the Information Technology sector. Views personal.)

National Sports Day: Beyond Names, Towards a Sporting Nation

Bhalchandra Chorghade
Nov 1, 2025
3 min read

National Sports Day is not just a tribute to Dhyan Chand, but a reminder of India’s potential to become a sporting powerhouse.

India celebrates National Sports Day on August 29, marking the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, regarded as the greatest player in the sport’s history. More than symbolic, the occasion reminds us of the values sports instil and their role in shaping a healthy, disciplined, and aspirational society.

Sports has its own language of identity, with athletes given unique titles based on their disciplines. Volleyball players are ‘spikers’, basketball players ‘cagers’ or ‘hoopsters’, and cue-sport professionals in snooker and billiards ‘cueists’. Boxers are pugilists, weightlifters are grapplers, and badminton players are shuttlers. Cricket, India’s most popular sport, has batsmen, pacers, spinners, and all-rounders. Footballers, too, are dubbed strikers, sweepers, or keepers. These titles are more than playful synonyms; they reflect a culture that celebrates specialisation, skill, and sporting identity.

Deeper significance

Beyond names and terminology lies the true essence of sport. For individuals, it fosters discipline, perseverance, teamwork, and resilience. A boxer learns not just to fight in the ring but to face setbacks with courage. A shuttler develops reflexes and endurance, along with patience and strategy. Grapplers show strength but, more importantly, embody persistence, building capability through years of training.

Sports uniquely mould character. The discipline to follow training, the commitment to stay fit, and the toughness to face victory or defeat prepare athletes for life’s challenges beyond the field. They also foster community and belonging. When basketball hoopsters share the court or football strikers coordinate with midfielders, they exemplify teamwork—a lesson relevant across personal and professional life.

Nation-building

At a societal level, sports are more than recreation; they are tools of nation-building. With its demographic dividend, India cannot afford to ignore the need to channel youthful energy into constructive avenues, such as sports. It fosters physical well-being, inclusivity, and gender equality. The rise of women in boxing, wrestling, badminton, and weightlifting—with icons like Mary Kom, P.V. Sindhu, and Mirabai Chanu—reflects this shift.

Sports also aid diplomacy and international recognition. From the Olympics to the Asian Games, every medal projects soft power and enhances India’s global standing. National Sports Day is thus not just a tribute to Dhyan Chand but a reminder of India’s potential to become a sporting powerhouse.

Recognising this potential, the Indian government has undertaken several initiatives to nurture sporting talent. The Khelo India Programme has become a cornerstone for spotting and nurturing young athletes across various disciplines, providing them with scholarships and structured training. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) has been instrumental in preparing elite athletes for international events by providing financial and infrastructural support.

In addition, the development of sports infrastructure—stadiums, training centres, and academies—has been prioritised in several states. Schemes like the Fit India Movement aim to take fitness and sporting culture beyond athletes to the wider population, encouraging every citizen to make exercise and sport a part of daily life.

Yet, challenges remain. The concentration of resources in urban areas often leaves rural talent under-supported. Moreover, while cricket enjoys massive attention and sponsorship, other sports often struggle for visibility, funding, and media coverage. This imbalance continues to raise questions about whether India’s sporting culture is holistic or cricket-centric. National Sports Day provides an occasion to introspect on this imbalance and to strive towards giving every sport and every sportsperson their due recognition.

Road ahead

As India aspires to win more Olympic medals and expand its presence across international competitions, the need of the hour is a comprehensive ecosystem—one that combines grassroots training, modern infrastructure, scientific coaching, and most importantly, a cultural shift that values sport not merely as entertainment but as an essential pillar of holistic development.

The nomenclature of athletes—spikers, hoopsters, cueists, shuttlers—shows the diversity of disciplines that enrich the sporting world. But National Sports Day is an opportunity to remind ourselves that behind these names lie stories of grit, struggle, and triumph. Honouring them means more than celebrating their titles; it means supporting their journeys, recognising their sacrifices, and embedding the values of sport into everyday life.

In the words of Major Dhyan Chand himself, sports are not just about winning medals but about fostering unity, discipline, and character. On this National Sports Day, India must reaffirm its commitment to nurturing a sporting culture that lives up to his legacy.

1 Comment

Tim Smith

Nov 03, 2025

This article really made me reflect on how much sports shape not just individual lives but the broader culture of a nation. Growing up, I watched athletes train relentlessly, and it taught me that discipline, resilience, and teamwork aren’t just lessons for the field—they carry over into everyday challenges. What struck me most here is the emphasis on recognizing every sport and its athletes, beyond cricket’s massive popularity, which is something India is gradually addressing through programs like Khelo India and TOPS. While exploring ways to stay connected with different sports digitally, I came across resources like https://1winapk.pro/ where you can read review and get insights into various sports offerings, even though it’s not for playing. It’s a reminder that…