TECHNOLOGY MAKES YOU STUPID

Just who do some of these researchers think they are, smart guys or something? Don’t you hate it when you discover some new technology that is cool to use and you believe using it really puts you on the cutting edge, only to find out… it doesn’t. 

I know, I know, AI is the big thing, and some of the applications that I’ve seen are truly amazing. We really have no idea of its potential to completely change our lives. But we’re now beginning to find out some of the effects of it as well. 

When I see the term “researchers”, I always think that somebody in a dark lab somewhere is just trying to throw water on a hot issue. But this time, the word “researcher” is plural. It seems that researchers at some high-profile institutions have been collecting research on the same question: Can technology make you stupid?

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Oxford, and UCLA have all been looking into the effects that AI can have on users of certain applications. In this case, the AI assistant. They’ve evidently ALL found that, in just 10 minutes of using an AI assistant, you can “significantly reduce your independent thinking”.  When AI assistance was removed after 10 minutes, users’ performance on math questions dropped by – 20%, and they were almost twice as likely to skip questions. 

Ok, maybe AI assistants don’t make you stupid, but it seems they do take you down the first step toward stupidity: laziness and indecision. I will go one step further. In my executive and entrepreneurial coaching practice, I have worked with several clients who seemed to have lost their ability to make quick decisions, deferring to their AI assistant before arriving at any decision. In many of the cases I’ve worked with, the main trait of an effective leader is their ability to be strong and make decisions when they need to be made. 

Today, leadership requires business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives to sometimes make uncomfortable, quick decisions. Our digital world demands it. Wait too long, and your prospect or client will refer to their own device and, in seconds, find a replacement for you. Business, and for that matter, personal issues cannot wait for you to consult your AI assistant before making a decision. 

Don’t get me wrong, using an AI assistant is an incredible tool, but not if you allow it to replace good old-fashioned decision-making. Allow this to happen, and it instantly reflects your lack of confidence in your experience or decision-making ability. Just like bug spray will repel insects, your perceived lack of confidence will repel your success. 

Clients and prospects can see and feel it. Opponents will take advantage of it, treating it as a weakness. 

Use your AI assistant as a tool, but not your conscience. Maybe it won’t make you stupid, but it can make you lazy and dependent upon the technology. And, today, you can’t afford it.