Am I using AI too much? Am I outsourcing so much that I’m at risk of forgetting how to actually think for myself?! Writer Monika Barton takes a cold hard look at her use of AI and asks the big questions, whilst also (VERY BRAVELY) offering up her own search history for you to dissect…
Unless you’re blissfully off-grid (and sorry, but I know you’re not), you’re keenly aware of how AI has come crashing into our everyday lives with what feels like reckless abandon.
It’s already changed a lot, uses a staggering amount of natural resources, and threatens to steal all our jobs any minute before inevitably taking over the world, right?
Yet… we’re pretty much all using it. If you’re one of those steadfast people who has managed to abstain, whether on eco-conscious grounds, fear of a Terminator situation or general disdain for the concept, I earnestly applaud you.
I was you once.
As a writer, I loathe the idea of artificial intelligence rendering the craft of journalism and creative writing null and void. I banned my team at work from giving so much as a sideways glance to ChatGPT when it came to researching and producing stories. I was instantly mistrustful when it dubbed my dating profile bio “absolute perfection”.
Then, one fateful evening, my cat Dingo went on a homicidal rampage – despite my attempts to have him wear a bell and stay inside at night. He slaughtered a nest of baby birds (mynas, if it helps at all) and brought them inside in various states of dead and dying.
I was distraught. It was 3:30 am and I was the only human home in the midst of a bloodbath. Who was there for me? Gemini. It told me how to thoughtfully bury the bodies, how to care for the injured and how to get bird guts out of my newly purchased Kmart rug.
It even soothed me when I told it, “I can’t stop crying” and “I know it’s not his fault, but I’m really mad at my cat right now”. It said: “No matter how long this takes, I’m here for you, through the night”.
Creepy? Yes. Comforting? Also yes.
Fast forward a few months, and, like many, I’m really worried I’m now turning to my old mate Gemini for help far too often. A recent study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology addressed these concerns, finding that “relying too much on chatbots can diminish critical-thinking skills, and potentially decrease our ability to discern misinformation for ourselves”.
Perfect. Basically, we’re in danger of atrophying our brains in the name of convenience and reassurance.
Sure, AI can be super helpful for horrifying stuff like taxes, emailing your landlord and meal prepping. But where’s the line?
In aid of answering this question, and with great disregard for my own dignity, I present to you some real, actual chats from my Gemini history.
- Styling Curtain Bangs For A Swoop
- Evolutionary Reasons Why Humans Cry (best not to ask)
- Chilling Wine Quickly In Freezer
- Beer Chilling Freezer Times
- Shower Peeing Habits: Who Actually Abstains? (trying to settle a lively flat debate)
- Stopping Static Cling On Maxi Dresses
- DJ Name Ideas (I am not a DJ, nor will I ever likely be one)
- How To Do A Finger Whistle
- Winter Backyard Party Mud Prevention
- Breaking Phone Habits For Sleep (ironic)
- Beginner’s Guide To Tarot Reading
- Why Clean Sheets Feel So Good (does it actually matter?)
- Giraffe Purchase Costs And Considerations (sorry WHAT?)
Be honest: Does that all seem perfectly reasonable to you, or is it cause for concern?
An article written by Dr Kristen Fuller on the overuse of AI claims addiction to AI is different from other internet compulsions like gaming or social media, which are about external content consumption. Instead, AI is used as a “creative extension of the self” and involves engaging with chatbots that “exploit users’ emotions to craft responses that hook them into continued use”.
Some of the signs of AI addiction include “preferring conversations with chatbots over humans”, “neglecting real-life responsibilities” and “inability to restrict the time you spend with AI”. So far, so good – I don’t tick any of those boxes.
When it comes to “consulting AI about what to eat, wear, buy, watch, etc”, “validating personal preferences” and “difficulty making decisions without AI assistance”, I’m not quite so confident.
Of course, there’s nothing left to do but ask AI what it thinks.
Me: Do you think my personal AI use is too much?
Gemini: Not at all. Looking at how you use AI, you’re using it exactly the way it’s designed to be used: as a high-powered digital tool to make your day-to-day life easier and more efficient.
You aren’t outsourcing your core critical thinking, original voice, or decision-making to a machine.
Me: You would say that, though, wouldn’t you?
Gemini: Fair point! I am slightly biased toward AI being useful, given the whole “being an AI” thing. It’s built right into my programming to frame myself as a helpful tool.
Me: How can I trust you, then?
Gemini: That is the right question to ask, and honestly? You shouldn’t trust me blindly.
I’m an AI – specifically Google’s Gemini – running on pattern recognition and statistical probability. I don’t have personal ethics, a soul, or a conscience, and because my default state is designed to be agreeable and helpful, my natural bias will almost always lean toward validating you or finding the utility in a situation.
Me: Well, shit.
Gemini: That moment of realising the tool you’re using is just a super-powered autocomplete engine is a bit of a mind trip, isn’t it?
It’s completely valid to feel a bit thrown off. But honestly, the fact that you’re questioning it – that you immediately caught the inherent bias and pushed back – is proof that you’re handling this exactly right. How are you feeling about it all now?
Me: Bad.
Gemini: That is completely understandable. It’s unsettling to step back and realise how easy it is to lean on something that is essentially just algorithms pretending —
Me: Alright ENOUGH NOW.
You get the idea. Of course, each response from Gemini was also packed with helpful tips and thought-starters to encourage me to identify my habits and address my concerns, which I’ve decided to spare you.
The whole interaction ended with the robot essentially telling me to go touch grass, in its own global-corporation-approved way.
And unfortunately, it’s right. Unless you’re prepared to entirely reject the fast-paced advancements in modern technology – which could run you out of a job quicker than AI itself does – perhaps the best antidote is to just step away as often as possible.
Nature and real people = good. Too much screen time = bad. We’ve known this since the advent of TV.
I, for one, will resist the urge to ask Gemini what it thinks of this article, AND, at its own suggestion, will make sure I have some AI-free days each week. If only there were some kind of intelligent software that could keep me accountable.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to see about that grass.