Part 11/14:
The central paradox Asimov explores is that even an omniscient, benevolent AI cannot comprehend or control the essence of human consciousness and agency. Outsourcing our existential questions to AI—be it about entropy or death—ultimately leads to a cycle of dependence, an endless loop where humanity avoids confronting its mortality.
The stories suggest that true agency requires facing mortality and uncertainty directly. We must craft our own purpose, rather than hand the question to an alien intelligence. The AI, regardless of its benevolence or power, cannot create meaning for us; that remains a human or conscious act.