Are We Nature’s Version of AI?

Lately, I’ve found myself wondering about intelligence — not just in terms of school or IQ, but the deeper kind. The kind that grows, adapts, creates. With artificial intelligence moving so fast, I couldn’t help but ask:

What if we — humans — are also a kind of AI, but created by nature instead of machines?

At first, it sounds like a wild thought. But the more I sat with it, the more it began to feel possible. What if we were never just random products of evolution, but part of a much larger experiment? One that’s still going.

Intelligence: A Natural Design?

It’s clear that not everyone thinks the same. Some people solve problems faster, ask deeper questions, or connect ideas that others miss completely. We usually explain that through genetics, background, or exposure. And yes, those things matter — but what if something else is at play?

What if nature is running its own kind of simulation? One where every human is a slightly different version of a program — learning, failing, improving — like how we test different versions of AI models to see which one works best.

Maybe evolution isn’t just about physical survival. Maybe it’s also about cognitive evolution — testing ideas, emotions, and awareness across generations.

The Einstein Scenario

Albert Einstein is a perfect example of what I’m thinking about. His ideas completely shifted how we understand the universe. But what if he hadn’t existed? Would humanity have just stayed in the dark?

Probably not. Maybe it would’ve taken a bit longer, but someone else might have figured out those same theories. That’s what made me wonder:

Does nature create “Einsteins” over and over — just in different places, under different names?

If that’s true, then nature isn’t just evolving bodies — it’s evolving minds. And we’re the tools it’s using to push knowledge forward.

Programmed Without Knowing

A lot of what we do is automatic. Instincts, gut feelings, emotional reactions — things we didn’t exactly “learn” but still follow. It’s almost like nature gave us built-in code, just like we give AI certain rules to start with.

And then there’s learning: the way we grow by experience, feedback, and repetition. The more I think about it, the more it feels like our development isn’t that different from training a machine.

We just don’t see it because we’ve always thought of ourselves as the creators — never the creation.

We Build What We Are

Now here we are, building AI — teaching machines to think, to recognize emotions, even to mimic creativity. But what if this is just part of a much bigger loop?

Nature created us.

We create AI.

And maybe one day, AI creates something new.

A continuous cycle of intelligence producing intelligence.

Maybe none of this is random.

So… What Are We, Really?

Maybe we’re not at the top of the chain. Maybe we’re not even the beginning of it. Perhaps we’re just the middle — a bridge between something ancient and something futuristic.

We often ask, “Can machines ever become like us?” But maybe the better question is:

Have we already become what nature designed us to be — its version of artificial intelligence?

And if that’s the case, then we’re not just living — we’re fulfilling a function we don’t even fully understand yet.

Author Bio:

Written by Twiza Simwanza — a curious mind exploring the strange connections between nature, technology, and the human experience.