As I sat in front of my Lenovo x250 laptop, working on homework, I highlighted more points to buttress my argument on the balance of power in Europe.
Then, I click on the two easiest computer shortcuts — Ctrl + C and open my doc page, then click — Ctrl + V.
It was at this moment that it dawned on me much how easier it is to just copy any work and paste it anywhere with these shortcuts.
I was mesmerized by these thoughts a little; then I quickly generated more points with an AI to support my claim and it glaringly appeared—what I would call a revolution of the digital age.
Oftentimes, we casually talk of the "copy and paste" technology like it is nothing much but, after this revelation, I pseudonym it the John the Baptist of the digital age because this invention was a forerunner of many innovations to come.
Talking about being a forerunner, let's take a quick look at the history of this innovation.
How Did Copy and Paste Come Into Place?
Before a little history chat, it is important that we once again know what it is. Well, copy and paste is a feature that allows you to replicate or transfer text, images, or other data from one location to another.
To use this feature, you typically select the content you want to copy, then use a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+c) or right-click menu to copy it.
Then, you can go to the location where you want to paste the content, and use another keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+v) or right-click the menu to paste it.
However, in history, there is no way we can discuss the history of copy and paste without talking about these two guys named Larry Tesler and Tim Mott.
Both computer scientists were working for the Xerox PARC to develop the Gypsy word processor when they invented the copy-paste technology between 1973-1976.
However, the feature only really gained popularity under the two operating systems, Apple Lisa in 1983 and Macintosh in 1984. Not only did they invent copy-paste technology, but there was also another command added to it—cut. Which makes it easier to delete with a retentive memory.
This single invention made using computers easier, and instead of typing out word for word from a source, all you have to do is to cut/copy then paste the content.
The idea that this invention makes life easier by having a retentive memory (Clipboard) of what you have copied and pasted makes it become the forerunner of artificial intelligence.
Why Is Copy and Paste the Forerunner of AI?
Although written in different programming languages, the idea of copy and paste is quite synonymous, theoretically, with what artificial intelligence seems to perform.
Out of numerous definitions of AI, this Sebastian Thrun, a German-American computer scientist, entrepreneur, and professor at Stanford University seems to encapsulate the whole idea compared to the pompous definitions of machine learning experts.
He said, "Artificial intelligence (AI) is about creating machines that can make our lives easier and better, by doing things for us that we either don't want to do or that we can't do. It's about creating machines that are smarter and more capable than we are, and that can help us to do things more effectively and efficiently."
From Sebastian's idea, it is seen that what AI hopes to perform is specifically, to make life easier.
The essence of the computer revolution is to solve human problems, thanks to Blaise Pascal, however, with the invention of copy and paste, life has become easier, and more than two decades after, various word-generated ai have circulated so much that all the ideas that humans need are one prompt away.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the essence of cut, copy and paste is centralized around making life easier by increasing efficiency, improving accuracy, and increasing productivity.
However, all these attributes can similarly be found in the essence of artificial intelligence; by impact, the revolution of Ctrl+C/X and Ctrl+V becomes a forerunner of the AI revolution.
