I used to know phone numbers of my friends and family by heart (I still know the number of my childhood home). Now I barely remember my own number, because all I have to do is tap a button on a screen.

Same for routes. I used to know when the traffic was bad in certain areas, I knew shortcuts across town, I had a mental map of my neighborhood and my city. I no longer know any of this, because all I have to do is put a destination into Google Maps and follow the instructions.

And this isn’t a bad thing! In fact, I would argue that it’s mostly a positive development. The shortcuts have freed up mental space for more important things. Why bother remembering my brother’s phone number when technology can do the work for me?

Now, in one way, AI is similar: It’s also a shortcut that can free up mental space for other things. But there’s also something crucially different about AI. And we need to understand this difference if we want to use AI in ways that help us flourish.

The progression from GPS to AI represents a fundamental shift. To put it as succinctly as possible: AI does much more of our thinking for us than GPS ever did.

When we ask AI to help write emails, and it doesn’t just correct grammar, it shapes our tone, arguments, and thoughts. We ask it to analyze work situations, and it offers........

© Psychology Today