WRITTEN BY David Touchon
March 31, 2026
Last night, after a lovely dinner with my wife, we settled in to watch an Oprah Winfrey podcast about the rise of AI. The podcast discussed how capable AI is and how much it has grown—and regrown—in a very short period of time. The panel of experts spoke about how AI is demonstrably more efficient than humans in many areas and will continue to grow, which sat a little strangely with me.
The growing gulf between humans and AI is real, and what do we do when we hit the “tipping point” between humanistic efforts and AI governance? Hollywood has famously provided us with well-meaning robot sidekicks like C-3PO and R2-D2, while others, like HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey, are more suspect.
The natural world is governed by seasonal fluctuations and five essential requirements: Food, Water, Shelter, Space, and Suitable arrangement. After watching Oprah, I began to think about how AI interfaces with nature and natural systems. Obviously, think about the great expense of resources—water-cooled data centers, energy consumption, and the development of building sites. AI is a supercomputer that relies on input, and all machines need various inputs to function. Natural systems, on the other hand, require inputs upon the land without request, not to mention a subtle nudge from the hands that plant.
Natural systems are cyclic; AI is not. Leaves from one year turn into ground cover and eventually soil. Seeds provide hope for the future—and tasty snacks for critters. AI can increase efficiency on the farm, but ultimately it is the human who services the land and machinery.
The naturalist perspective is often a quasi-romantic venture for many of us. A quiet walk through the woodlands allows us time to decompress and soak in many unknown healing properties—not to mention the warmth of fellowship. Many modern-day naturalists can fall into the “app trap,” with offerings like eBird, iNaturalist, and Merlin. Listing and recording data through these popular apps is incredibly efficient, but it often removes the sentient being who is holding the device.
So, what does all this mean? Will we see automated systems scanning the woodlands for density and richness? Will people lose interest in the natural world since AI already “knows” everything? Will the Puro Naturalist movement move to a different level? Will future job markets shift into vibrant, nature-based retrograde business concepts?
Fear not!
The natural world is incredibly resilient—and so are we. I am guilty of periodically dabbling in computer-based learning that may spark humanistic, brain-based learning. AI is no substitute for the modern elder knowledge base (ages 35–85), so the tradition of storytelling and historic knowledge remains alive and well.
Isaac Asimov wrote I, Robot in 1947 and set forth the Three Laws of Robotics, which feel especially relevant today. So, when you are not reading a book by Isaac Asimov, plant and tend to a native garden. Increase your peace through diversity—and get dirty!
