This is a great piece. But I get so frustrated with this conversation (which, as you point out, has been going on for along time) because feelings, spontaneity and NOT doing what's expected are the essence of being human.

AI can offer none of this.

We are machines, that I agree with. But we operate based on very complex combinations of past experience, thoughts and feelings that it would be impossible to recreate. Only enlarged egos would even dream of it.

Intelligence or intellect devoid of feelings (or having feelings pre-programmed to show up at specific times and in specific circumstances) will never have the same value as human feelings.

Granted, it might be easier to deal with robots in some cases, but if we move toward easy vs. real, what does that say about us?