Johnathan Bi, founder of GreatBooks.io, said we’ve built artificial intelligence that is good at “manipulating symbols” but bad at “manipulating reality.” 

“We’ve created machines that mirror our civilizational disease: Infinite abstract knowledge, ZERO practical wisdom,” Bi posted on X. “They can write sonnets like Rilke but can’t fold laundry.”

“They can quote Aristotle on virtue but can’t wash a dish,” said Bi. “They can explain physics like Feynman but struggle to catch a ball.”

Bi’s post links to an excerpt of his interview with Michael Wooldridge, an Oxford AI expert who is the Ashall Professor of the Foundations of Artificial Intelligence and has authored popular science books like “The Road to Conscious Machines,” focusing on AI’s theoretical advancements and limitations.  

The interview references AI-powered humanoid robots, aligning with recent developments like Meta’s February 2025 announcement to invest heavily in this technology, highlighting the gap between AI’s abstract capabilities and practical physical tasks.  

“Perhaps we’ve created AI not in humanity’s image but in our own decadent reflection,” said Bi. 

Bi is a philosopher and entrepreneur who co-founded Opto Investments and has lectured extensively on René Girard’s mimetic theory. He studied philosophy and computer science at Columbia University and has worked with companies like Shogun and 51VR. Currently, he focuses on studying and producing content on the Great Books, sharing his insights through lectures and interviews.