Ask Lemmy

Maybe? Are you sure you're not weirdly defensive about AI because you prefer interactions where you control the narrative and every opinion you have is validated?

Honestly, I really only know one person who uses AI so much I would even consider it an issue, and until recently, he was my best friend since 2007. He was always really smart and rational because he was the kind of person who would do a lot of research, and look into things before rushing into any decision or forming an opinion.

Originally he just used AI for automation ~2 years ago, then he started using it for quickly researching things related to work, but eventually he started using "AI research" for everything, and once he reads an AI summary there's no changing his opinion.

A lot of times he will send me links that AI cites in the summary to prove he's correct, but when you actually read the information in the links, it doesn't actually say what he thinks it says. But once he's formed an opinion and it's been validated by AI, there is seems to be no evidence that can convince him otherwise.

He actually went down a quantum physics/new understanding of math rabbit hole pretty early on, but luckily he eventually realized all the information chatGPT was telling him was correct was misinterpreted, but it was still giving him positive feedback and telling him he was a genius, just like it always seems to do to people who don't realize it's giving them bad information and end up ruining their own lives.

He didn't stop using AI though, he just stopped using chatGPT and switched to other models. He also gets defensive if you try to tell him that he should dial back his AI use even though he can no longer hold a conversation with anybody if it's not related to whatever he's interested in at the moment, he comes off as very rude bc he doesn't seem to remember just shutting down conversations bc he doesn't feel like hearing them, like he's closing out a tab he's done using, isn't appropriate, and when I tell other people about his opinions and arguments/how he's citing information to support those arguments now, they say "no offense, but he sounds really dumb."

Which is definitely not true. He's very smart and he always has been. He's got some really impressive degrees he earned prior to becoming dependent on AI, that prove it. He also didn't just suddenly lose the social skills and empathy he had for 18 years. He's just become way too dependent on technology that's designed to make him believe he's always correct and being super productive and efficient, so he will get a little dopamine bump and want to keep using it, instead of just taking the time to actually read new information, or listen to what people are saying and how they're saying it, and then use his own very impressive logic and reasoning skills to interpret that information.

Idk, it is an n=1 and I could definitely be wrong. That's why I asked this question. Bc I wanted to hear other opinions outside of my own personal experience and the ones I've already read or seen online.

•The rise of the personal AI advisors

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has a front-row view of this phenomenon. He notes stark generational differences in ChatGPT usage: “Older people . . . use [ChatGPT] as a Google replacement,” Altman recently observed, whereas many in their 20s and 30s “use it like a life adviser.” In other words, younger users aren’t just asking AI for trivia or weather updates, they’re confiding in it, seeking guidance on college decisions, career moves, and personal dilemmas. Altman says some college students have ChatGPT so deeply integrated into their daily lives that “they don’t make life decisions without asking ChatGPT what they should do. It has the full context on every person in their life and what they’ve talked about.” The chatbot has effectively become a confidant—a kind of always-available sounding board and adviser in one.

•80% of Gen Z and millennials are turning to AI for financial advice—but more than half say they’ve made a poor decision or mistake as a result

•AI chatbots and digital companions are reshaping emotional connection

Synthetic relationships are filling the void to satisfy the fundamental human need for social connection. Research shows excessive use of these tools may worsen loneliness and erode social skills. Experts and advocates are highlighting the need for guardrails and regulations to ensure user safety and well-being.