# ¿Qué nos hace humanos en la era de las máquinas? | Pablo Corral | TEDxQuito Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZmHD5ZO-cY Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/ZZmHD5ZO-cY Generated: 2025-11-25T17:48:04.596+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Pablo Corral argues that human intelligence is not superior to other forms of intelligence, like artificial intelligence or nature's intelligence, emphasizing that our limited sensory perception prevents us from grasping the full complexity of reality, which is better navigated through dialogue, tenderness, and curiosity across diverse forms of existence. **Key Points:** - Human intelligence is not absolutely superior; we must recognize the intelligence in AI and the natural world, such as in the 2,000-year-old forest ecosystem shown. - The speaker points to the limitations of human sensory perception, noting we only perceive a minuscule part of the electromagnetic spectrum (00:47:05). - Corral presents his photographic work, 'Bestiario Americano,' which uses AI (Midjourney) to create hybrid characters that challenge stereotypes and force new dialogues (00:48:48). - The talk advocates for a new paradigm based on dialogue, tenderness, and curiosity, rather than control and espionage, when engaging with non-human intelligences (00:53:00). - He contrasts the vertical intelligence of machines (like the Terminator eye) with the horizontal intelligence found in nature and human relationships (00:55:08, 01:21:12). - The speaker concludes that our capacity for deep emotion, like love and grief (shown in images of couples and mourners), is a fragile but profound aspect of our existence (01:58:00, 02:20:00). - The essential question becomes: what makes us human if our intelligence is limited, and how do we relate to other forms of intelligence? ![Screenshot at 00:05: 05:The speaker introduces the theme by showing an ancient stone carving, La Tlaltecuhtli, illustrating humanity's long-standing fascination with conversing with non-human entities.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZZmHD5ZO-cY/00-00-05.png) **Context:** Photographer Pablo Corral delivers a TEDxQuito talk exploring the boundaries and assumptions surrounding human intelligence, particularly in the context of emerging artificial intelligence and the vast, often unseen, intelligence present in the natural world. He uses striking, often surreal, photographic and data-driven visuals from his projects, like 'Bestiario Americano,' to challenge anthropocentric views and advocate for a more humble, curious, and relational approach to understanding complexity. ## Detailed Analysis Pablo Corral begins by challenging the notion that humans are the only intelligent beings, referencing ancient myths and his own photographic work, 'Bestiario Americano,' created in collaboration with AI (Midjourney). This project generates surreal images of humans interacting with hybrid creatures, designed to break down stereotypes and initiate new conversations (00:48:48). He illustrates the limitations of human perception by showing the electromagnetic spectrum (00:47:05), noting we only perceive a tiny fraction of reality, unlike machines that process broader data ranges. Corral argues against the concept of 'vertical intelligence' (like AI's computational power) that seeks control, advocating instead for 'horizontal intelligence' found in nature and human connection. He showcases images of ecosystems (like the 2,000-year-old forest, 01:19:00) and emotional human experiences (grief, love, 02:19:00, 02:48:00) to demonstrate that our capacity for deep feeling and connection is a profound, though fragile, form of intelligence that machines lack. His core message is that we must cultivate a relationship of respect and curiosity with all forms of intelligence—human, digital, and natural—rather than viewing ourselves as superior conquerors of reality. ### Challenging Anthropocentrism - The first time in human history we can converse with something not human (00:07:00) - AI generates images ('Bestiario Americano') that challenge stereotypes like Disney princesses (00:55:00) - AI's intelligence is fundamentally different from human intelligence (00:56:00). ### Human Sensory Limits vs. Machine Perception - We only see a tiny part of the electromagnetic spectrum (00:47:05) - We cannot perceive slow phenomena like geological time or fast phenomena like atomic decay (01:11:00). ### The Power of Words and Connection - Words are the most powerful tool we possess (02:18:00) - Humans are connected to the Earth via subterranean root networks (02:31:00) - True intelligence is relational, not just computational (02:51:00). ### Conclusion - We are all parts of a greater whole; the human experience is defined by fragility, emotion (love, grief), and connection, not just computational superiority (03:48:00, 03:59:00). ![Screenshot at 00:02: 47:The speaker introduces the theme of conversing with non-human entities using an image of the Aztec deity Tlaltecuhtli.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZZmHD5ZO-cY/00-00-02.png) ![Screenshot at 00:36: 00:A visual representation of the electromagnetic spectrum highlights the narrow band of visible light humans perceive compared to radio waves or gamma rays.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZZmHD5ZO-cY/00-00-36.png) ![Screenshot at 00:51: 00:Examples from the 'Bestiario Americano' project, showing AI-generated hybrids interacting with traditionally dressed people, challenging stereotypes.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZZmHD5ZO-cY/00-00-51.png) ![Screenshot at 01:11: 00:A close-up of a human eye, used to illustrate the limited sensory aperture through which humans perceive reality.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZZmHD5ZO-cY/00-01-11.png) ![Screenshot at 03:29: 00:An image showing a man \(Gabriel García Márquez\) with Mariachi musicians, representing the power of human storytelling and emotion.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZZmHD5ZO-cY/00-03-29.png)