The Original Vision of Augmented Intelligence: What the “Mother of All Demos” Got Right

The idea that technology should amplify, not substitute, human intelligence isn't new.

It was first proposed in 1960 by American psychologist and computer scientist J.C.R. Licklider in his seminal paper “Man-Computer Symbiosis”. Licklider envisioned a future in which humans and machines would form close working partnerships, with computers handling the mechanical tasks and humans focusing on creative, strategic thinking.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

That vision came to life eight years later in what’s now called the “Mother of All Demos”. In a single 90-minute presentation, computing pioneer Doug Engelbart introduced an astonished audience to the mouse, hypertext, graphical interfaces, real-time document collaboration, and even early video conferencing. But the real breakthrough wasn’t the technology, it was the mindset.

Engelbart’s purpose wasn’t to replace the professional. It was to augment them. He believed computers could help humans think better, work faster, and collaborate more effectively. It was a direct continuation of Licklider’s symbiosis; practical, powerful, and crucially human.

Today, as financial institutions adopt AI into research, analysis, and compliance, that original vision is more relevant than ever. We shouldn’t be asking whether machines can take over entire roles, but how they can remove the friction from work and free up professionals to do what they do best.

Augmented intelligence is not a new idea. But it's now here. And those who embrace it won’t just be more efficient. They’ll be smarter, faster, and ultimately, more human in the way they work.