AI Chatbot: Cognitive Companion Or Culprit?
How AI assistance might affect your brain
2023 was an exciting year. We witnessed relentless advancements in AI, Large Language Models, and Quantum technologies where Chat GPT and Google Bard were the year’s kingpins — their digital voices resonated through every corner of the internet.
For me though it was a year of confusion, an agonizingly slow-motion car crash of confidence and perhaps a tad of panic. (A fact not unknown to physics majors)
Initially, I was awed by their endless capabilities. Preparing for tests, correcting errors in my code, grasping difficult concepts within minutes, taking help in presentations, summarizing mountains of content and whatnot.
Chat GPT, can you summarize this research paper in 500 words?
Bard, rephrase this paragraph to use better vocabulary.
Explain (this concept) in simplest words.
Suggest some names for my project on magnetic anisotropy
However, after 8 months of ceaseless use of chatbots, I fell into a swamp of self-doubt with crickets chirping in the brain instead of the hubbub of cognitive processes. Searching for words — even on familiar topics — I felt my cognitive abilities slipping away.
That’s when I traced back my steps.
DECLINE IN CRITICAL THINKING:
According to Harvard Health, “You can think of cognitive reserve as your brain’s ability to improvise and find alternate ways of getting a job done. It reflects how agile your brain is in pulling in skills and capacities to solve problems and cope with challenges”
Engaging in mentally stimulating activities encourages the formation of new brain cell connections. This connectivity facilitates efficient information processing.
When we grapple with challenging material — even if it leaves us scratching our heads and a little grumpy — it’s like pumping critical thinking muscles. The struggle actually strengthens them, making them more robust for future intellectual battles.
By opting for the shortcut, we run the risk of diminishing our capacity for nurturing critical thinking.
DECLINE IN CREATIVITY:
In his book Deep Work, Carl Newport concludes that “great artists work like accountants” Creativity isn’t some elusive butterfly you have to catch — it is a skill to develop. Newport dispels the myth of genius and reveals how they perfect their craft through hard work.
The more we practice it, the more creative we become.
Pick any book on creative thinking and the author would be seen urging readers to become idea machines by coming up with at least 5 new ideas everyday— no matter how wacky — and noting them.
Chatbots may churn out catchy blog post titles, but relying on them leaves our own creativity in the dust.
And creativity definitely helps in every profession.
LACK OF MOTIVATION:
Chatbots make it effortless to find a solution that otherwise would require stretching your thinking. However, this act of struggling and then finally reaching the solution is what releases dopamine and motivates us to come back again for ‘happy’ feeling.
When this phase gets skipped, motivation is likely to fester.
If you’ve ever been so absorbed in a task that you lose track of time, then you’ve experienced flow. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, known as one of the co-founders of the field of positive psychology, was the first to research ‘The flow’.
You generally lose sense of time, self-consciousness, and anything that doesn’t have to do with the task at hand. One of the major characteristics of the flow state is ‘Challenge’, which diminishes with the use of AI chatbots.
One could argue that our dependence on AI Chat Bots isn’t different from our reliance on Google. There is a distinction: we use Google to research the relevant information to make a decision.
Reading 10 similar blogs to come up with your own title comes under ‘thinking process’ but asking Chat GPT will produce direct answer.
DECREASE IN MEMORIZAITON ABILITY:
I clearly remember pestering Chat GPT multiple times about the same Python error instead of memorizing the correction.
Do some button tapping and query fixed. Why wrestle with complex code syntax when you can correct every bug in seconds?
It is necessary to memorize certain things .Several skills hinge on building up solid foundations and over-learning them with practice.
Despite the convenience of instant code correction, I wondered if it might come at the cost of deeper learning.
ERODING SELF CONFIDENCE:
While instant explanations can be tempting, there’s a hidden cost: eroded confidence. Sure, you got the answer, but did you truly grasp it? The satisfaction of conquering a challenge yourself, of pushing through the struggle and finally unlocking the secret — that’s what builds genuine confidence in something.
While advancements in AI models feel euphoric, the development of proficiency in domains like writing and coding requires deliberate practice and independent problem-solving.
Overreliance can hinder the development of nuanced skill sets necessary for mastering these domains.
What’s the best way to use AI language models then?
There is no definite answer. We are even uncertain about their capabilities for the upcoming year, but treating them as a second brain can certainly be precarious.
Think of them as helpful assistants, ready to lend a hand when needed.
Use their insights to refine thinking, not erase it.
If you are like me and struggling with some brain fog and lack of creativity, I highly encourage you to read the book, “Thinker toys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques”. It has some great exercises to warm up your thinking muscles.
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