Let’s be real here. The vast majority of social media posts, emails, and articles supposedly written by conscious human beings have flooded the network. Call it convenience – dare I say laziness – but the issue at hand is not ownership itself. Rather, it is the unprecedented reformatting and rewiring of our brains. Constant exposure and temptation are to blame; however, the true perpetrators are we the users.
“Quite the bold statement, dear author. How dare you accuse us of such misdemeanours. The audacity!”
The truth hurts, doesn’t it? The focus of my argument is that even if you did actually formulate a piece of writing, unbeknownst to you, your writing endeavours have been altered to such a degree, they lack any visible trait of human emotion or gradual development, and is instead strictly presented in binary contrasts.
Oh no! What have I done? I finished the previous paragraph in a triplet! Why did I do that? I have never recalled my writings to be presented in that format. This serves as a testament to the transformative influence of AI that has penetrated our reading materials, subconsciously altering our own way of writing until it becomes the norm. Yipes! I did it again! Curse those wretched hype adjectives. Not only did I base my whole argument on an empty adjective such as ‘transformative’, but I also expressed my opinion in absolutes, with no expansion or justification whatsoever. Gadzooks! “Not only… but”? The irony of explaining absolutes by using absolute expressions! Clearly, I have become the machine. I am AI!
Okay, that was a bit scary. Like those ‘80s films about the impeding threat of technology and our inevitable downfall. ‘Overdependence’ is it my disgruntled colleagues? Let’s use that wonderful brain of ours to dissect the issue – avoiding absolutes in the process. By the way, I have been an avid user of ‘em dashes’ throughout my entire career. The fact that people perceive their sudden resurgence via AI as an innovation, is beyond me.
Where were we? Ah yes! Let’s examine our present predicament. The web is an infinite source of information. I’ll take the liberty of calling it a “machine of information.” We humans are beings of intelligence and knowledge. We process information, apply critical judgment, and respond accordingly to a given circumstance. This process is mostly administered from a young age within the confines of a classroom. Educators who passionately instil our children with knowledge then guide them though the thinking process of evaluation before encouraging them to apply it. Enter the age of AI, where information is offered freely and in abundance. Alas, users often lack the guidance to harness it, to the detriment of the human mind. Children – even adults – have been blindly subjected to a specific interpretation and flow of information which has been steadily, yet remarkably effectively, rewriting our thinking patterns. Unbeknownst to us, the passive restructuring of our brain patterns has yet to show its true consequences. The first signs are already here: an increasing inability to express ourselves through writing. Those once fluent in the art of written expression have, to varying degrees, resorted to online assistance.
“You have no right to judge us, Katherine! Our lives are hectic, and the demands of our professions have increased, leaving us with little to no time for ourselves!” an embittered colleague might protest.
And this is the part where my associates and colleagues will avert their eyes as I bluntly state, “I disagree.”
AI has been a prominent part of our lives for only the past couple of years. As scary as that sounds, it’s the truth! How did we survive, or better yet, thrive in our professions and as contributing members of our society? It’s not your fault, mind you. Convenience in a stressful existence is embraced with open arms; however, this very convenience has proven to be the downfall of our individuality and has diminished our capacity to change our lives and, by extension, improve our world. It’s up to us to look in the mirror and make that change. Yes, you know who I’m quoting.
Alrighty then! Let’s not mess up the conclusion. Remember, people, it’s not just about accessing information, but… Argh! The AI is at it again! What’s with this obsession AI has with “not just… but” before making a statement? I see this everywhere in all languages, and it has become so annoying. Let’s have another go!
I acknowledge we are living in precarious times. I too dread the future and worry about our children’s well-being. AI sank its claws into our everyday existence only a short time ago. Nonetheless, there’s still time to take command of our destinies, to let our true potential shine, to take charge of our lives and to make full use of that magnificent instrument we have in our heads.
Katherine Reilly 