In the rush to integrate AI into existing systems, many companies are stuffing prompts and chatbots wherever they can in existing interfaces. This is understandable as a way to bridge the old familiar interactions with the new, and it does get people interacting with AI. But what else could we do?


What if we think beyond the command line? Don’t get me wrong—text prompts are powerful and often more effective than a GUI, and I’m not suggesting we give AI avatars or bodies just yet; that’s too unsettling a thought for me at the moment.


But what about exploring some graphical interfaces for the information AI’s can provide?


It's fascinating to see AI's role in graphics applications, where text descriptions generate or alter images. What else could be done there?

How about a GUI based on what the user wants the image to feel like? An interface centered on emotional ranges, where users interact with a mood spectrum wheel to create images that evoke specific feelings.


Or consider a series of time period buttons or sliders that transform an image to reflect any era—a photo daguerreotype from 1890, a Soviet poster from 1949, all along a timeline with markers and historical information. This could make creating or playing with images an educational experience, perfect for kids in schools learning history, or for artists and anyone curious about exploring graphic history without relying solely on text prompts.


That kind of GUI would expose the vast resources of AI in a positive and fun way. So many ideas, so little time.

I once consulted on an application for Emergency Response Call Centers, and my research revealed something the business people hadn’t accounted for: dispatchers had little use for a graphical interface.


Why? Because every second counts when someone’s life is on the line, and fiddling with a GUI would waste precious time. Instead, as every power user of software knows, they rely on keyboard shortcuts for all primary actions—it’s just so much faster.


Looking at that use case today, I would want to put AI in the dispatch center. It could track and allocate trucks and paramedics more efficiently than the human mind ever could. I’m not suggesting we replace human dispatchers—far from it. Their role could shift to providing oversight, communication, and much-needed emotional support for traumatized callers.


Let’s invest more in educational outreach, accident/fire prevention, and let AI handle the logistics. This way, dispatchers can focus on guiding people through the situation while the AI does the heavy lifting behind the scenes.


This is one example of how AI could be a real asset in public service, freeing up resources to tackle all the things public offices wish they could do but never seem to have the time or budget for. It’s a much better scenario than AI overlords recreating the human species.

Once upon a time the written word was the hottest new technology.

In 700 AD England the written word was a kind of magic that only priests of the Christ could invoke. In the 1600’s the many nations of Anokowara (present day North America) believed writing would make people’s minds weak and stupid because instead of being able to remember everything they would depend on the written word which in their opinion was fragile and prone to misinformation.


They believed that if you did not hear the words from a real person, it would be hard to tell the truth from lies. Paper was fragile if it was destroyed by time then who would remember what needed to be remembered? Memory keepers of oral traditions despaired. But the power of being able to communicate across long distances and time was too good to pass up, and, as we know, writing did not make people stupid, but it did change the world.


Other technologies like the printing press, steam engine, and the internet also revolutionized the world. Each brought upheaval, often misused due to medieval mindsets and treating humans as expendable resources.


The steam engine was great, but it worsened the lives of the masses, by creating such delights as air pollution and child labor.

Conversely, writing and the internet improved many lives, offering music on demand and global idea sharing.


The problem lies not in the technology but in society's organization and usage. Will AI lead to equitable abundance or serve only the wealthy few?


My hope is that AI helps us create solutions for climate change, universal education, and a valuable life for everyone, regardless of IQ or talent. If AI can reflect back the positive aspects of our societies, then ironically, this non-living sentience might just help us create a better world for the living.