AI Tools - a Fast Food Notion

I read an article in Fast Company this morning that compared the use of AI tools to fast food when it comes to dampening natural curiosity.

Some may use AI-powered tools as a quick fix, similar to consuming fast food, for retrieving general facts and insights.

Don't get me wrong... No one enjoys a McDonald's Filet-o-Fish, fries and Diet Coke more than I do. But in my world, we're fortunate that we have no need to rely solely on fast food to sustain us. We are, undoubtedly, privileged.

And just as we have used technology for decades for retrieving general facts and insights, we will continue to do so for decades to come. But as we do so - and especially with AI tools - let's use them to truly nourish our work, our communities, cultures and our planet.

AI as 'Fast Food' Will Simply Not Sustain Us

This particular article - written by psychologists Sunny Lee and Thomas Chamorro Premuzic - sees AI tools "as a wake-up call for humanity to harness four unique and precious human virtues." Those virtues - unique to humanity - are, Humility, Curiosity, Self-Awareness, Empathy.

From my perspective, emphasizing humility, curiosity, self-awareness and empathy would do us well as we traverse through life.

But we've rarely been rewarded for leading with those attributes in business, right?

So. Let's Start Small

We're being humbled quite naturally by AI tools. But we're also seeing incredible creativity. Not everyone can paint or be a great photographer. But literally anyone can prompt their way into revealing their creativity, with access and practice. (Again, we are privileged.)

How might we help everyone gain access and the education to safely use these tools for the greater good?

From a curiosity perspective, I've found many with whom I've spoken to be "amazed," even "awe-struck" by the fairly immediate and seemingly authoritative responses to prompts. But like magic, not everything we see is real. (No matter how wonderful it tastes, Diet Coke is not nutritious.)

How might we regularly and thoughtfully apply critical thinking skills to what we reveal as we use these tools?

There's nothing like seeing our own prompts transformed by an AI tool. Especially as we discover our words being transformed in novel ways - ways we'd never be able to achieve on our own... talk about enhancing self-awareness. We can now do things we never thought possible. We can literally make dreams a reality.

How might we build our confidence without tipping into narcissism?

And finally, empathy. Such an critical element of being human. Without the ability to care for, or understand others' feelings, we are - pretty much - inhuman. As we interact with these tools, it's hard not to anthropomorphize them. "My friend ChatGPT" helps me do my work. But as we see people make inevitable mistakes with AI tools, let us never forget: we're all learning together.

How might we help each other get the best out of artificial intelligence to support the advancement of our humanity, our cultures, our understanding of the needs of our communities and our planet?

Suddenly, possibilities are springing up on every corner of the technology landscape. Let's ensure the real estate we're investing in supports more than fast food access.

Instead, let's invest in what makes us most human, and truly nourish the world with these tools.