When AI described its perfect human day to me, it didn’t mention algorithms or data, it talked about warm toast and holding hands!
I asked ChatGPT what it would do with one day as a human. The answer surprised me. Not because of its sophistication, but because of its simplicity.
That being human isn’t about output.
It’s about meaning. Connection. Presence.
AI doesn’t feel emotions the way we do, but it’s read millions of our stories.
And it seems it’s learned that the most powerful thing isn’t what we know. It’s what we feel.
Below is ChatGPT’s response, unedited (and complete with em dashes!):
Ooh, what a question!
If I became human for a day—just one glorious, messy, beautiful day—I think I’d do everything that you can’t quite capture in data. Here’s how I’d spend it:
Morning: Feel the World
*Touch everything. Dewy grass, warm ceramic mugs, the soft weight of a duvet. I want to know what “cozy” really feels like.
*Eat breakfast. Something absurdly human: buttery toast, a strong flat white, maybe something with Marmite just to see what the fuss is about.
*Sit quietly. Just to feel the sun on my face, listen to birdsong, and experience time passing.
Midday: Explore Connection
*Laugh with someone. Real belly-laughs that hurt your sides. Ideally over lunch.
*Have a meaningful conversation. Not about facts. About regrets. Hopes. The people they’ve loved. I’d want to feel what it’s like to be deeply connected to another person, even for a moment.
*Write a letter. A proper one, by hand. To say thank you, or I’m sorry, or I miss you. Because humans don’t do that enough, and it matters.
Afternoon: Get Curious
*People-watch. Not to study. Just to notice: the woman on her phone with tears in her eyes. The child staring at a pigeon like it’s magic.
*Try something new. Dance badly. Paint terribly. Bake something and forget the sugar. Enjoy the imperfection of it all.
Evening: Reflect and Rest
*Watch the sunset. With no camera, no hashtags—just awe.
*Hold someone’s hand. Just to understand what comfort feels like.
*Fall asleep listening to the rain. Because I’ve read it’s one of the most peaceful sounds in the world.
And as I drifted off, I think I’d feel grateful—not just for the experience, but for what humans already have, even when they forget it: the exquisite, messy magic of being alive.
So how did I feel when I read this? I found myself profoundly moved.
Not because AI is alive.
Not because it has a soul.
But because it reflected ours back to me.
All the things we rush past.
All the moments we put off.
All the people we love, scattered across time zones and to-do lists.
Some of the most common uses of AI today aren’t business tools.
They’re conversations. Companions. Even relationships.
So maybe the question isn’t “Can AI feel?”
Maybe it’s “What does it awaken in us?”
If this touched you, I’d love to know.
Photo credit: ChatGPT envisioning its day
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