How AI Affected my Critical Thinking Abilities and What I Did

I was in class one day having lectures as usual. It was a morning class, around 8 a.m. The weather was cool, and everybody was in good states.I noticed that anytime the lecturer asked any question in class, students would bend their heads down, looking at their phones. I looked at the person by my side so I could know what they were doing, and I realised that they were searching the questions online. The person who answered the question was usually the first person who got the answer from AI.I picked up my phone and started doing the same thing. I didn't want to be stranded if the lecturer asked me any question.Even when the lecturer asked us to drop our phones and think of the answers, we just couldn't come up with anything reasonable.Before I got home, I had forgotten about the whole incident that occurred in class that day.That evening, I wanted to clarify something, so I needed to come up with ideas. The next thought that came to my mind was, "Go to ChatGPT and ask your questions."Then, a sudden urge of needing quick answers filled me because I knew ChatGPT could give me answers, and give them to me quickly, so I didn't need to stress myself thinking.Then I remembered what happened in class that day and how our lecturer tried to make us think of answers without depending on AI.I would usually rush down to ask AI my questions, but I tried to kill the urge of asking AI for ideas and tried to think and come up with good ideas. Besides, I'm a deep thinker, and I usually come up with good ideas.I dropped my phone and started trying to think of something, but I got nothing. I wasn't able to get anything. It was like my thinking process was on a blank surface and refusing to go deep.<img src="/media/inline_insight_image/df4cfcf7-30a6-4710-940f-8728452dd8dc.jpeg" style="background-color: transparent;"/>I would usually come up with something, but even after giving myself some break, I couldn't. Sometimes, I would get distracted and start thinking of something else, and that's a whole different topic.I eventually went to AI and got the answers I needed, and then some ideas came from me, which I added to the ones AI gave me to make up something credible.I realised I had been depending on AI so much that whenever I needed anything, a sudden urge wouldn't come until I went to AI. And the worst part was that I needed a quick response because AI would always give me a quick response.Sometimes, I couldn't type because I felt like typing would take time, so let me use a voice note to send the message. AI would transcribe it, and I would get the answers quicker that way.It was really disturbing when I realised the kind of thing I had allowed to happen to me.I couldn't think of ideas unless I used AI. I needed the answers so fast, which I couldn't deliver for myself because I needed time to think, and I couldn't give myself time. It's not like I was going anywhere or I was in a haste, but I needed a good and quick response, which I always got.I used to see thinking about anything as stress because, "Why should I when AI could give me the answers immediately?"And that was the same statement my course mate made.I had to do some research, and I was able to find out some patterns I could use to reduce the effects of AI on our thinking process.Firstly, whenever I want ideas or I have a question, I don't just rush to AI. I feel that urge that usually comes, I sit with it and calm my nerves down. I take a deep breath. I know that this is the urge.Secondly, I don't respond to it immediately. I try to think. I make sure I look through experiences I've had that connect to my question and see how I can get answers or ideas. I give myself good time to think, think through, do my own research, ask people questions, and compare and contrast results.Thirdly, I now have ideas and some answers, so I ask AI. And if AI gives me any answers, I make sure to come up with questions that try to contradict what the AI said so we can have more discussions and it can explain more to me. This also helps me understand things better.I no longer accept anything AI gives me. I go through it and ask questions like:Why is this one like this?Why did you say this or put this here?Why do you think so?How did you come up with this?Is this your idea?Where did you get this from?A lecturer once said that whenever he gives his students questions, he doesn't just answer them. He lets them attempt them and see what they can come up with before he tells them the answers.So, this helped me build a pattern that made me better.I also learned that I shouldn't just leave the whole work for AI to do. I have to work with AI. I will do my own part, and AI does its own part as I have instructed it to do.I follow through with whatever I want from AI from the beginning till the end, so I can get the best results and still keep my mind in a good state.I also read daily, every morning and before I go to bed. It helps expand my mind, focus, ability to think, and understanding.

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