Adam Green, a neuroscientist and psychology professor at Georgetown University, pointed out the importance of independent thinking in the era of widespread use of artificial intelligence. He recalls how a university student told him that one of his roommates sought help from ChatGPT to name a basil plant. Green says, "We should have fun together and choose the name for this plant ourselves." He believes this goes beyond just naming; it eliminates the opportunity to create a shared memory.
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Creativity
Using artificial intelligence for tasks, including naming plants, can be tempting. However, Green and other experts suggest that before handing over a task to a chatbot, it's better to write down a few ideas of your own. These ideas can be raw, impractical, or even far-fetched, but the goal is to give yourself a chance to think before seeking help from others.
Green states, "We all fear the blank page, and artificial intelligence wants to fill that page for us." However, he emphasizes that understanding and experiencing one's own thinking can have many benefits, including problem-solving and expressing meaningful things.
Self-Awareness and Unique Voice
Excessive use of artificial intelligence can lead to the production of similar content. In research conducted by Green and his colleagues, it was found that articles written by humans have greater diversity in ideas, while articles generated by ChatGPT generally remain within a specific range. This means that when we accept AI-generated ideas as our own, we lose our unique voice.
Green emphasizes that our own ideas are somehow related to who we are and our personal experiences. He says, "Only you know what is appropriate for your sister's greeting card or what could make a busy colleague's day better."
Before using artificial intelligence, experts suggest first determining what you really need and then writing down your ideas. This helps you gain a better understanding of your needs and priorities and ultimately assess whether the suggestions from artificial intelligence are helpful.
