The Problem with AI
On November 30, 2022, Sam Altman tweeted some very exciting news: ChatGPT was here. Since then, AI has become a hot topic online. People often debate whether AI will doom humanity or if it will take everyone's jobs. So I want to take the time to actually talk about the real problem with AI.
The thing is, AI could doom humanity or take our jobs. But there's a bigger issue: human intelligence. No one seems to talk about it. As AI rises, so does the decline of our own intelligence. AI has become the brain of most people, and this begs the question: is this the death of human intelligence?
The Real Problem
AI vs Humans
Don't get me wrong, AI is truly helpful. It can boost skills in coding, writing, research, design, and more. So, the question isn't about AI's usefulness. But what happens when we depend on AI to do everything for us? What happens when we stop thinking for ourselves?
We are treating AI more like a substitute for intelligence and understanding. It should be a tool to help us advance these qualities instead. Humans are naturally born thinkers. They can analyze and understand. So, they shouldn't outsource their intelligence.
AI allows people to create content quickly and in large amounts, even if they don't fully understand it. As AI improves, the line between right and wrong becomes blurrier. Because of this, many people stop verifying whether AI-generated content is accurate. The gap between being able to produce and being able to understand keeps getting wider.
The Illusion of Competence
I chose not to use AI for this piece, even though it can create content quickly and might do a better job. I could take credit for it, but it wouldn't truly be my work. Even if the article has my name, I know I didn't write it.
AI can make anyone seem more skilled than they really are. For instance, someone with no coding experience can easily use tools like Codex. They can build a working web app in just a few hours. However, this person may have no real understanding of how the app or the code works. With AI, just because someone gets a result doesn't mean they understand it. This was less common in the past.
Many technical fields, like software engineering, are crowded with people who lack a true understanding of the domain. They don't respect its integrity. This becomes dangerous when something breaks, behaves unexpectedly, or needs to be changed. What happens when AI cannot fix it? What happens when the work needs defending or presenting?
But AI Has Another Side
AI has its problems and dangers, but there's another side. Like they say, every bad has a good. The same goes for AI. So let's talk about how AI can actually be useful to us without doing us damage: the good side of AI.
AI can speed up learning a lot. I've seen this myself. I stopped buying courses because AI has the knowledge I need. Now, I extract it from AI to empower myself. Curious users can explore concepts, ask questions, and experiment. They can also create things that once took much longer.
The same tool that makes shallow developers can also build strong ones. It all depends on how you use it. So instead of asking, can AI do this? you should focus more on asking, should I let AI do this, and do I understand what it is doing?
Conclusion
AI is here to stay. Competing with it in raw output isn't the right approach. Honestly, you shouldn't even try.
In the end, what sets you apart is understanding, judgment, and creativity. It's important to use advanced machines, but don't let them overshadow your results.
So, the problem with AI isn't that it can do too much. It's easy to use AI for tasks we don't fully grasp. If you want to speed up your work with AI, understand what it does. Make the work yours, and avoid becoming an inexperienced expert.