You ask A.I. a question. It gives you an answer. You take that answer as fact and use that information for whatever it was you needed. If what it told you is correct and accurate, great! Your outcome should be good, your success goes up, and all is well. But what if it is wrong?
The quality of our decisions dictates the quality of our lives. Our decisions are based on the information we have. And making decisions requires analysis, thought, and reflection. Or at least it used to.
Our dependence on artificial intelligence is rapidly increasing. It’s fast, it’s thorough, and it’s remarkably accurate. With these attributes, it is easy to become more and more dependent on A.I. But remember, remarkably accurate is not the same as 100% accurate. This means mistakes are made, errors occur, and the answers you get, and may be relying on, may be wrong.
I recently learned about a concept called cognitive surrender which is defined as “the uncritical acceptance of AI-generated answers in place of your own reasoning and internal deliberation.” This refers to people’s increasing tendency to accept A.I.’s responses without giving it any thought at all. Research shows that we are abandoning logical thinking as we become more reliant on A.I.
The brain is like a muscle… use it or lose it. The less we engage our critical and logical thinking, the weaker those areas of our brains will become. I’ve seen it in myself in terms of navigation. There was a time when I had to write out directions, look at maps, and engage my spatial and directional awareness. With the use of GPS, all I have to do is type in a destination, then follow what the GPS tells me. There’s no thinking, no analysis, and no questioning. And most of us do this now. I honestly think if it directed us into thick woods or a lake, we might drive right in. My concern is that without using my brain to actually navigate my routes, I am losing my ability to do so. If we are ever to be without GPS, we would be lost… literally.
Handing over our decisions to A.I. is dangerous. Yes, our ability to make decisions on our own may weaken over time, but also, A.I.’s answers may lead us astray. When we make decisions, we are subtly and subconsciously incorporating so may facets of our beliefs, philosophies, and life experiences that our decisions align with what’s best for us. A.I. lacks a lot of that. It may give you an answer or suggestion, but taken without some critical thinking, that answer may not be best for you.
To surrender your critical and logical thinking would be a mistake. A.I. is impressive and has enormous potential to help us in daily life, but it is not human. I’m a fan of using A.I., but I am treading carefully. There are many uncertainties right now. If you turn the keys over to A.I., you’ll become what the A.I. thinks you should become. And since we don’t know how A.I. will continue to evolve, the you it creates may not be the best version of you possible.
I am using A.I., but only to a degree. I ask it questions, I have it do calculations, and I have it do analysis, but I don’t just take those answers as fact. I ponder them, think about them, compare them to other sources, and ask human experts what they think. Cognitive surrender is a dangerous thing. Do not stop utilizing your own reasoning and internal deliberation. It won’t be long before humans are more like A.I. and less like humans. You’ve got an amazing brain. Use it… or lose it!
