Will AI augment our work and help us? Or automate our work and take our jobs? The technology has already begun to reshape workforces in industries ranging from coding development to apple farming, but there’s still uncertainty about what exact role AI will play in the economy.

According to one Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist, AI’s future direction is up to us—and we’re doing it wrong. Sendhil Mullainathan says AI isn’t happening to humans, but being made by them, and therefore humans can choose what kind of technology it becomes.

Justin Lahart spoke with the MacArthur genius grant recipient about his thoughts on how we can put AI on a path to help humans, rather than replace them.

Part of the problem with how AI tools are being developed and deployed is that they’re being evaluated based on their capability for automation, not their capability for augmentation, Mullainathan says.

The MIT professor says companies like OpenAI and Google could evaluate their newest models based on their ability to help people, not their ability to automate processes.

That framework, he argues, could help ensure that AI becomes what Steve Jobs called a “bicycle for the mind”—a technology that amplifies humans’ inherent abilities and streamlines their efficiency.

More on this topic:

• This is how WSJ readers use AI at work. (Read)
• Essay: How I realized AI was making me stupid, and what I did. (Read)
• Research has shown that AI made some workers more productive, but less happy. (Read)

🤔 Do you think AI will hurt workers or help them in coming years? Send me your thoughts, questions and predictions by hitting "reply" to this email.

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Last week, we reported on how design and furniture firms are using color to rethink the workplace. Readers shared their thoughts on how color influences their well-being and productivity at work:

• “I’ve spent decades studying and forecasting color for commercial and residential clients. In my research, I’ve found that colors can be energizing—but they don’t have the lasting effect that nature can have on a worker’s reactions and wellbeing. Looking out a window at a scene that shifts in color, movement and light is not only a restful break, but it’s engaging. Sunlight that moves across the floors and walls of a room signals the natural passing of hours, and circadian rhythm lighting can lead to less absenteeism. If nature can’t be the star in an office, color can be a good substitute. For example, green tones that mimic nature can be energizing, and saturated colors can change blood pressure, energy and temperature.”—Dee Schlotter, Pennsylvania
• “I work for Crayola in Pennsylvania—the most colorful place on Earth! Our offices and common areas are painted vibrant shades of every Crayola color you can imagine! When I walk into work and see those colors, it automatically elevates my mood and brings a smile to my face!”—Marta Gabriel, Pennsylvania
• “Years ago, a VP told me of a story where management changed lightbulbs in an office saying it would be better for employee health and wellbeing. Then, two months later, management changed all the lightbulbs again saying they were wrong and these new bulbs are the correct ones. Turns out, neither really made a difference except employees were happier because management demonstrated they cared about the employees. Happy employees make better workers!”—Larry Herzlich, Colorado
• “This is excellent: How much more pleasant could it be to come into an office that had color vs. the standard institutional grey, beige and pale green. I imagine coming into an office that matches my personality. Color inspires creativity, brightens personality and keeps you awake—and nothing but goodness and productivity would result.”—Gloria McLennan, Massachusetts

(Responses have been condensed and edited.)

• How “bodyoids” could revolutionize medicine. (MIT Technology Review)
• Techno-utopians want to colonize the sea. (The New York Times)
• An AI is going to art school in Austria—and may earn a diploma. (The Washington Post)

Thanks for reading The Future of Everything. We cover the innovation and tech transforming the way we live, work and play. This newsletter was written by Conor Grant. Get in touch with us at future@wsj.com.

See more from The Future of Everything at wsj.com/foe.