Artificial intelligence (AI) is just the latest in a long line of technologies that promise to make our lives better. However, unlike washing machines and air conditioners, it has the power to streamline – and influence – our decisions. Should you grant AI such power?
Here are the pros, cons, and things to be aware of when considering using AI to improve your everyday life.
AI’s Positive Decision-Making Impact
Even before we could ask ChatGPT anything, sophisticated algorithms in streaming services and online stores had access to enough user data to provide meaningful recommendations. However, we often became overwhelmed by the amount of information we received daily.
Reducing choices down to the basics is one of AI’s greatest services to humankind in that respect. Why struggle with decision fatigue and analysis paralysis when an appropriate AI tool can distill the facts and present digestible advice that aligns with your past interactions and choices?
There seems to be an AI app for everything these days, so their recommendations can encompass almost every facet of our lives, if we allow them to. Want to stop thinking about what to add to the shopping list? Need a personalized workout or mental wellness routine? An AI tool will have you covered.
The business world was among the most eager to embrace artificial intelligence, and employees have wholeheartedly embraced its decision-making potential. The choices carry additional weight, but they’re also more informed and well-argued. Plus, AI helps automate and streamline many repetitive tasks that once drained employees and left little time for more important work
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Last but not least, AI tools can take untold data points and discover connections no human analyst would dream of making. Basing one’s decisions on such data-driven insights has become so essential that companies that aren’t doing so are at serious risk of falling behind and missing opportunities.
What Are the Risks of Using AI Tools Daily?
As with all things that look like they came out of a sci-fi utopia on paper, overreliance on AI comes with drawbacks that range from obvious to hidden dangers.
First and foremost, AIs are notoriously error-prone. Worse yet, they won’t acknowledge when they lack the training data to give you an authoritative answer and will hallucinate one instead. Choosing between a latte and a cappuccino? No big deal. Building a case on “legal documents” an AI dreamt up? A recipe for disaster.
Another factor to acknowledge is the bias of AI tools. AIs base their recommendations on training data. If that data contains inherent or intentional biases, its recommendations will reflect that. Shady, if it tends to recommend sauce A over B if A’s maker supplied the data, it could potentially be life-ruining if it affects court decisions about releasing people from jail or impacts who gets hired for jobs.
Most importantly, on an individual level, overreliance on AI dulls your instincts and critical thinking abilities. Who’s to say that the choices you’re presented with are correct, or the only possible ones? The more people follow AI’s suggestions blindly, the easier it becomes for those who control the AIs to push forth their agendas.
How to Stay Safe?
When interacting with AI, you should exercise caution on two levels.
On the one hand, the connection you’re accessing an AI from needs to be secure. If you’re using public Wi-Fi at places like coffee shops or hotels, be extra careful. These networks are often unprotected or poorly secured, allowing cybercriminals to monitor traffic more easily.
Even if many AI platforms and cloud storage services you use are encrypted, attackers on public networks may still attempt to intercept your connections, trick you into insecure sessions, or introduce malware onto your device. If your device is compromised, attackers could gain access to sensitive information stored in your cloud accounts, steal your credentials, or cause other damage.
Prevent this by using a VPN, especially when connecting through unsafe networks. The VPN creates an encrypted tunnel that shields the connection, making it impossible for cyber crooks or even ISPs to know what you’re doing online and what data you’re sharing.
Speaking of, try to expose as little actual data about yourself and your circumstances as possible when working with AI. AI platforms store it to improve future interactions, putting your privacy at risk. Some of this data may find its way to data broker sites. They may sell it or experience breaches, exposing your private information and making you vulnerable to targeted attacks.
If you suspect sensitive data is being used without your consent, contacting a reliable data removal service is the only way to effectively and permanently nip the issue in the bud. Many users share their experiences with these services online – browsing through Incogni Reddit analysis or other providers can give you good insights into which options actually deliver results and which ones fall short of expectations.
Be Cautious and AI Will Do Wonders
From work to home, AI is already changing most parts of our lives, and it’s clear that it’s here to stay. AI can help you make better decisions every day as long as you know the risks and take the steps we mentioned in this article to protect your privacy. Now, go ahead and enjoy the many benefits of using AI!