With the avalanche of AI, will we lose human skills?

"Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible."

Like Alice venturing down the rabbit hole into a world where the impossible becomes possible, we too are on the cusp of an extraordinary journey with AI—a journey that will challenge our understanding of what it means to be human. In a world where technology is advancing at a dizzying pace, we’re all a bit like Alice—curious, uncertain, and full of wonder. But as we navigate this new landscape, the question remains: How do we ensure that we don't lose our way or forget the uniquely human skills that make us who we are?

Indulge with me in this story for a bit [1]……

"Several sparrows were hard at work building their nests. After days of long and tiresome work, they began to lament about how small and weak they are. Then one of them had an idea: “What if we had an owl who could help us build our nests?” This idea generated excitement about other ways that an owl could be useful to the sparrows. It could look after the young and elderly. It could offer advice. It could guard against the neighborhood cat.?

With great enthusiasm, they embarked on finding an abandoned owlet or an unhatched owl egg. But a surly sparrow named Scronkfinkle warned that baby owls become big owls. He argued that they should first learn the art of owl taming before bringing an owl into their nest. Several others objected to this warning on the basis that simply finding an owl egg would be more than enough work. These sparrows decided they would begin by getting a baby owl—and then afterward they would consider the challenge of taming it. With unbridled excitement, they ventured off to find a baby owl.?Meanwhile, only a few sparrows remained in the nest to begin the work of figuring out how sparrows might tame an owl.?

As with most parables, this story is about more than sparrows and owls. Bostrom offers this unfinished parable as a way to think about the risks of bringing superintelligence such as AI into our midst. Humanity is the sparrows; machine learning is the owl."        

Beyond Winning and Losing

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, the phrase "Humans with AI will beat humans" has become a topic of intense discussion. But what does this really mean for our future? Let's dive into the complexities of human-AI collaboration and explore how we can make the most of this partnership while preserving our essential human skills.

When we hear about AI "beating" humans, it's easy to imagine a competition. However, the reality is far more nuanced. Instead of a win-lose scenario, we should think of AI as a powerful tool that can enhance our capabilities. The goal is not for AI to replace us but to collaborate with us, forging a synergy where human creativity and machine precision combine to achieve what neither could alone.

The Impact of AI on Skills

One of the most significant benefits of AI is its ability to handle tasks that require substantial mental effort. This process, known as "cognitive offloading," can free up our minds to focus on more creative and complex problems. Imagine having an AI assistant that can quickly analyze vast amounts of data, allowing you to make more informed decisions without getting bogged down in the details.

So on the positive side, cognitive offloading can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency. By delegating routine or complex computational tasks to AI, we free up mental resources for higher-order thinking. For instance, in data analysis, AI can quickly process vast datasets, allowing human analysts to focus on interpreting results and formulating strategies. Similarly, in healthcare, AI-powered diagnostic tools can rapidly scan medical images, enabling doctors to spend more time on patient care and complex decision-making.

Moreover, cognitive offloading can reduce mental fatigue and stress. GPS navigation exemplifies this benefit, eliminating the need to memorize routes and allowing drivers to concentrate on road safety. In education, AI tutoring systems can handle repetitive aspects of instruction, giving teachers more time for personalized guidance and creative teaching methods.

However, the convenience of cognitive offloading comes with potential drawbacks. Overreliance on AI can lead to skill atrophy in certain areas. For example, excessive use of autocorrect and spell-check features might result in deteriorating spelling and grammar skills. Similarly, students who consistently turn to AI-powered math problem solvers may struggle to develop crucial problem-solving abilities. Just as our reliance on GPS has diminished our natural sense of direction[2], an overreliance on AI could erode critical cognitive skills, leaving us less capable of independent thought and problem-solving.

There's also a risk of decreased autonomy and critical thinking. When we regularly defer to AI for solutions, we may lose confidence in our ability to solve problems independently. This could be particularly problematic in fields requiring human judgment, such as law or counseling, where nuanced understanding of context is crucial.

Furthermore, cognitive offloading may impact learning and memory formation. The process of grappling with a problem often leads to a deeper understanding and better retention. Relying too heavily on AI for tasks like language translation could hinder the natural language acquisition process, potentially affecting long-term language proficiency.

Research on AI chatbots highlights potential cognitive consequences[3] of this dependency such as:

1. Reduced mental engagement: Users may become less inclined to engage deeply with problems, relying on quick AI-generated answers instead.

2. Neglect of cognitive skills: Critical thinking and problem-solving skills may deteriorate if not regularly exercised.

3. Loss of memory capacity: As we offload more information storage to AI systems, our ability to recall information may diminish.

4. Attention and focus issues: The instant gratification of AI responses could lead to decreased attention spans and difficulty focusing on complex tasks.

5. Lack of transferable knowledge: While AI can provide answers, it may not facilitate the deep understanding necessary to apply knowledge in new contexts.

6. Ethical and social concerns: Overreliance on AI for decision-making could lead to a decrease in moral reasoning and empathy.

7. Mental health impact: There's potential for increased anxiety or decreased self-esteem if people feel they can't compete with AI capabilities.

These findings underscore the importance of mindful AI integration and the need to actively maintain and develop our cognitive abilities.

The Risk of Skills Atrophy

Research has shown that when we don’t regularly use certain skills, they can deteriorate – a phenomenon known as skills atrophy.

According to research published in the Australian Journal of Emergency Management[4], they found that after 365 days of non-use, the average performance level dropped to 92% below the original assessment level (Fig. 1). Skills decay can vary depending on the type of skill. This highlights the critical need for skills maintenance in the age of AI.

One of the research raises another aspect on the inability to retain skills for non-routine tasks remains a major challenge for high-risk industries[5]. Individuals handle complex technologies that work most of the time, however, when tech fails individuals will not be able to act and use their skills that they have not applied and used for months and years.

This raises important questions about how we should integrate AI into our lives and work:

1.???? How can we ensure that we're not becoming overly dependent on AI for tasks we should be able to perform ourselves?

2.???? What guardrails should be put in place to prevent skills atrophy as AI becomes more prevalent?

3.???? How can we identify which skills are most at risk and take steps to preserve them?

Motivation to Upskill and Reskill

With AI becoming increasingly capable, some worry that we might lose the motivation to learn new skills. After all, why bother learning something if an AI can do it faster and more accurately?

However, this perspective misses a crucial point. The rise of AI doesn't mean we should stop learning – it means we must apply different strategies:

1. Mindful Integration: Be aware of when and why you're using AI assistance. Ask yourself if the task at hand is an opportunity for learning and growth, or if AI support truly adds value.

2. Selective AI usage: Use AI for tasks that truly benefit from its capabilities, while maintaining your skills in core areas. Use it as an intern to support you. For example, a doctor might use AI for initial patient data analysis but rely on their expertise for diagnosis and treatment plans.

3. Active Engagement: When using AI tools, engage actively with the output rather than passively accepting it. This could involve questioning the results, understanding the process, and using the AI's output as a starting point for further analysis.

4. Skill Maintenance: Regularly practice skills that you're offloading to AI to prevent atrophy. If these are routine tasks and you have mastered the skills that will not be a concern, however, if the tasks are in your learning zone (i.e. outside your comfort zone and you need to repeat this task multiple times) that is an opportunity to learn. So attempting the same tasks without AI can even deepen your skills.

We must look at ways to slow down and make conscious choices to focus on skill-building. Getting mundane tasks done by AI is fine for professionals, but it raises several important questions. How do we build curiosity and learning agility, if we're always in a rush?

Sometimes, wandering and getting lost—like Alice in Wonderland—leads to the deepest learnings. As Lewis Carroll wrote, "It's no use going back to yesterday because I was a different person then." This suggests that the journey, with all its diversions and explorations, is as important as the destination.

Looking to the Future

As we navigate this new era of human-AI collaboration, it's crucial to approach it with both excitement and caution. By thoughtfully integrating AI into our lives and work, we can create a future that's not just about beating the competition, but about enhancing the human experience and achieving things we never thought possible. Like Alice, we can stay curious, continue to explore, and adjust our strategies as we navigate this ever-evolving landscape. In doing so, we ensure that our journey with AI is one of growth, discovery, and the preservation of what makes us uniquely human.

Remember, the goal isn't for AI to replace us, but to work alongside us, creating a world where both human ingenuity and artificial intelligence can flourish.

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[1] Acton Institute. "AI and the Discipline of Human Flourishing." Religion & Liberty, Volume 34, Number 1. Available online: Acton Institute .

[2] Hanoch, Y., Wood, S., & Rice, T. (2022). "Artificial Intelligence and the Psychology of Decision Making." Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 983019. Available online: Frontiers in Psychology .

[3] National Center for Biotechnology Information. "Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: Current Trends and Future Possibilities." National Library of Medicine. Available online: NCBI .

[4] Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience. (2021). "Understanding Skill Decay and Skill Maintenance in First Responders." Australian Journal of Emergency Management, October 2021. Available online: AIDR .

[5] Mizushima, T., & Morinaga, K. (2022). "Safety and Human Performance: The Role of Cognitive Offloading in Skill Decay." Safety, 8(2), 22. Available online: MDPI .