Coding has been part of human innovation for nearly two centuries. In the 1840s, Ada Lovelace developed the first algorithm for the Analytical Engine, laying the conceptual groundwork for what would become the foundation of programming languages.
Over time, coding became a shared language between humans and machines. We learned how to tell machines exactly what to do, step by step. For generations, this careful, structured language was the only way machines could understand us.
But something new has happened.
Instead of forcing humans to think like machines, machines are beginning to understand us: our words, our questions, our curiosity. That shift is called Artificial Intelligence.
If you have ever pondered “how does AI work?”, this story explores that journey through the curiosity of creatures who watch, learn, and wonder about our innovations.
A Young Crow with Sharp Instincts
Carla, the crow, was only two years old but was sharp as a whip. Her parents were proud of her. She had extremely sharp instincts, keen observation skills, and quick thinking.
A large community of crows and ravens lived in a forest-like environment behind a huge mansion. The mansion was beautiful, with lots of fruit trees, a breathtaking garden, an enormous swimming pool, and even a waterfall.
Carla’s favorite pastime was sitting on a rock at the top of the waterfall, listening to the rumbling sound and making the sound “Ka Kaa” in a rhythmic manner. She thought the sound of the waterfall was like background music and she was the opera singer performing on a stage while looking at her audience down below. Her audience was of all kinds, from stones to chairs to humans and her best friend, Buddy.
An Unlikely Friendship
Buddy was a dog, yellow in color, in contrast to Carla. Most of the time, Buddy is near the pool, either lying down or walking around wagging his tail.
Buddy and Carla had established a strange relationship which other crows and ravens found interesting. Every day, Buddy would drop a few of his kibbles at the far corner of the pool in the bushes where the waterfall came gushing down. Carla knew exactly when this happened. Whatever she was doing, she would say, “Time to go!” She would fly down to the spot where Buddy dropped the food, enjoy some of it, and carry the rest back for her family and friends to feast on.
Earlier this month, at the committee meeting, the committee head, Thunder, and his team discussed the food supply Carla was contributing.
Thunder said, “For such a young age, Carla’s contribution is unmatched. How can we train others to do the same?”
Carla’s mom said, “It is more about Carla’s friendship and trust with Buddy. I think this is a unique situation, and we should just let it continue and see where this goes.”
Thunder agreed and said, “If more of us go with Carla, then humans will notice. That might stop Buddy from sharing the food with Carla.”
Everyone agreed.
The Quest for Longevity
The committee has now begun discussing the meeting’s most important agenda item. It was about how to extend the longevity of the crows and ravens.
Several decades ago, they used to live to 90 or even 100 years. As time went on, their lifespan became mostly 7-10 years!
There were a couple of main factors. One was the danger out there, and the second was the lack of finding food or finding food that would allow them to stay healthy. This particular crow community had moved to this location around 10 years ago. One advantage they saw was that staying near humans would let them observe their lifestyle, as many seemed to live into their 80s or 90s, and some even past 100.
Carla was about to discover something that might help answer a deeper question: how does AI work in simple terms, and what it means for humans.
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Carla’s Important Mission
Thunder started by bowing down to Palla, their oldest raven, who was 14. Everyone waited in silence for Palla to say something. After what seemed like an eternity, Palla said softly, “We should make Carla responsible for understanding one of humans’ innovations. That is about technology, the internet, and now this AI, which seems to be the talk of the town. How are they communicating? This may not directly help us understand human longevity. But there is a huge gap in our understanding of this space, which is generally called technology.”
Everyone turned to look at Carla. Carla was thrilled and excited, but also nervous. She said, “I will do my best.” She saw her mom gesturing for her to bow down to Palla, and she did so quickly.
Palla nodded with a smile and said, “I like that you only say a few words, but your actions are enormous.” Carla’s parents felt proud but were also anxious for Carla to be successful. Palla got up, and that was a clue that the meeting was coming to an end.
Beginning the Investigation
The very next day, Carla waited at the place where Buddy dropped the food. Right on time, Buddy came with his mouth full of food. He was very surprised when he saw Carla on the ground waiting. Generally, he had always seen Carla perched on a branch.
Carla said, “Hello Buddy, I have something to discuss with you,” not wasting any time and getting straight to the point.
Buddy said, “Sure! Glad to see you in close proximity!”
Carla explained to him what she had been tasked with. Buddy listened intently and said, “I would love to help. In fact, I would like to understand why dogs live only for a decade or so, and humans live several decades.”
Carla asked, “That is great! Then we have a common mission! Where do we start?”
Understanding Human Communication
Buddy said, “Good question! We all communicate through sound. That seems common?”
Carla added, “Yes, but humans communicate through writing too. Remember?”
Buddy said, “Great point! That could be their doorway to maybe the internet and AI?”
Carla said, “I am not sure. Maybe we should go and ask our wise owl, Wolly. She knows a lot.”
Buddy said, “I have not met her. How does she know about humans, and where does she live?”
Carla said, “Nobody knows how she knows everything. In fact, there is a rumor that she creates what is happening everywhere. I would definitely like to meet her!”
Buddy responded, “It is not easy to meet her. We have to submit what we want to ask her, and it needs to be very brief.”
They wrote the following and sent it her way:
We would like to understand how humans communicate and with what they communicate to create the internet and AI. We would like this information as part of “Crow and Ravens'” research regarding longevity.
Discovering Machines
They waited impatiently for the response. It seemed like it was taking ages. Meanwhile, when Carla went to see Buddy one day, he was already there and seemed excited.
He said, “I found out what humans communicate with; it’s called machines. Machines help humans live their lives in various ways. There are many of them, and they are called laptops, televisions, fridges, etc. But “Machine” is their common name.
Carla said, “Wow! Great work, Buddy. I wish I could see what they look like. Do they look like a fruit or flower? We use them for our survival?”
Buddy said, “That is a great point. The machines look very different. Let me show you. Can you fly to that window and take a peek inside? You will see a glow coming out of a square thing. That is called a television and is one of the machines.”
Carla did as Buddy said, and though the television glowed like the sun, it definitely did not look like a fruit or flower!
Meeting Wolly the Wise Owl
Later that day, Carla got the exciting news that her meeting with Wolly had been approved and set for the next day. The tricky thing was getting Buddy to where Wolly lived. Though it was within Buddy’s home boundary, Buddy had never ventured too far into the backyard. However, the next day they made it on time to meet with Wolly. Buddy thought Wolly was beautiful with big eyes.
He whispered to Carla, “She is beautiful.”
Carla smiled and said, “I am glad you think she is beautiful. Many are scared of owls in general.”
Understanding Programming Languages
Wolly greeted them and got straight to the point. Buddy said that after sending her the request, he actually found out that humans communicate with machines to make the internet and AI happen. He mentioned the television, laptop, and other machine gadgets. But they still did not know how humans communicate. He added that humans have always used them, and he did not realize they were used for communication!
Wolly said, “Aha! So you already know about the machines. The way they have communicated with these machines to do things has evolved and will continue to evolve. Like you and me, humans communicate with sound. They call them spoken languages. Depending on where they live, they speak many languages, and English is among the most popular. But there are other native languages that are equally popular within a community.”
“To communicate with the machines, humans created a programming language – a structured way of giving instructions. This is where the difference between programming vs AI becomes important.”
“To learn a programming language requires specific skills, and only around 10% of humans know how to do this. Recently, they figured out a way to translate spoken language into programming language. That means machines can understand spoken language and even sound. Now this has opened up communication with machines to almost all humans, and this is what humans call AI. There is excitement that everyone can access these machines directly to do whatever they want. But there is also apprehensiveness from the 10% of humans who were experts, as their skills seem no longer needed as much.”
Carla and Buddy were quiet for a long time, absorbing this information. Wolly did not mind and kept quiet.
The Difference Between Spoken and Programming Languages
Buddy asked, “What is the difference between spoken language and programming language?”
Wolly said, “Great question. Spoken language has obviously evolved over centuries of communication to provide an almost infinite scale of communication. Programming languages were methodically created. Though they cover many instructions, they are still miniature compared to them. That is why humans can relatively easily master a programming language. But it is more difficult to master a spoken language.”
What Is AI Really Doing?
At last, Carla said, “Wow! So humans have found a way to communicate with inanimate objects and make the objects do things they want.”
Wolly said, “That is a great way to put it.”
When you are able to communicate with an inanimate object, it is no longer inanimate.
“However, they are very far away from communicating with natural elements such as stones or even water. Humans are very good at dissecting and understanding different parts, focusing mostly on the benefits to their survival. But that is as far as they get.”
Carla began to understand that if someone asks “how does AI work?”, the answer lies in how machines learn patterns and respond to human language.
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Carla’s Important Mission
The Future Beyond AI
Their time was almost over. Carla asked the last question: “Where do you see all this taking humans? AI replaced by something else? A stone lives forever! So do you think if humans start communicating with a stone, they will find a way to extend their longevity, maybe forever?”
Wolly smiled and flew to the next branch, hinting that the conversation was coming to an end. “Well, what I can definitely say is that indeed AI will be replaced by something else. There may no longer be a need to develop apps or have browsers. Probably one can have something show up out of thin air! Then hardware will be challenged, like no laptop, no TV. The most interesting thing is that humans are in the driving seat for all these changes. In the grand scheme of things, humans aspire to be part of creation and mimic creation. They have the deep desire to question everything and dissect to understand. So, they can come closer to terms with who they are. This aspiration is an infinite possibility, and that will drive humans’ desire to live longer and longer.”
Carla and Buddy thanked Wolly profusely and started their journey back to the mansion. Both of them said at the same time, “My head is spinning!” and laughed together. They somehow felt bonded and closer together.
Presenting the Findings
Time flew by, and it was time for the next committee meeting. Carla spent countless hours preparing, flying between Buddy and the mansion, observing humans through windows, and thinking deeply about everything Wolly had shared. She carefully organized her thoughts, knowing the longevity committee would have many questions.
Carla’s Big Presentation
When the day arrived, Carla’s heart raced as she stood before Thunder and the assembled crows and ravens. She bowed deeply to Thunder and Palla, taking a moment to steady herself before beginning.
“I have much to share from my journey,” Carla began, her voice growing stronger with each word. She described her conversations with Buddy, explaining how they had discovered that humans communicate with machines. She spoke about their meeting with Wolly and the wise owl’s wisdom about the evolution of communication. That is, from sounds to spoken languages, then to programming languages that only a few humans could master.
“But something remarkable has happened,” Carla continued, her eyes bright. “Humans have now found a way to bridge spoken language directly to programming language. They call it AI. It means that communication with machines, which was once limited to a small group of experts, is now open to nearly everyone.”
The committee leaned forward, captivated. Carla went on to explain Wolly’s vision of the future. A world where hardware might disappear, where things could appear “out of thin air” simply by asking for them.
The Connection to Longevity
“But here is what I believe connects to our mission about longevity,” Carla said, arriving at her conclusion. “It is humans’ endless curiosity about everything surrounding them that drives them forward. They create technology not merely for comfort, but to understand themselves, to connect with creation itself, and yes, to become closer to nature. This relentless desire to question, learn, and grow is what enables them to extend not just how long they live, but how well they live. AI and technology are simply steps along this path.”
Recognition and New Beginnings
When Carla finished, silence filled the gathering. Then Thunder spoke: “You have given us much to consider, young Carla. You have shown us that longevity may not come only from food or safety, but from something deeper, from curiosity and connection.”
Palla, who had been listening with closed eyes, opened them slowly. “That is very impressive work, Carla,” she said softly, but with unmistakable authority. “I would like you to become part of the longevity team.”
Gasps rippled through the assembly. Carla’s mother covered her beak with her wing. The longevity team had always consisted of the oldest, most experienced crows and ravens, birds who had lived through seasons of hardship and accumulated decades of wisdom. Carla would be the youngest member by many, many years.
But Carla felt no fear, only a deep sense of purpose. She bowed to Palla once more. “I am honored beyond words. I will bring my curiosity, my friendship with Buddy, and my commitment to learning to this important work.”
A Partnership That Changed Everything
As the meeting dispersed, Buddy was waiting by the pool, his tail wagging furiously. Carla flew down and landed beside him. “We did it, Buddy! We’re part of something bigger now!”
Buddy barked joyfully. “We make a good team, don’t we? A crow and a dog, learning about humans together. Who would have thought?”
Carla looked up at the waterfall, then at the mansion, then at her dear friend.
“The best discoveries,” she said, “often come from the most unexpected partnerships.”
