I am a Gen Z university student. The ChatGPT got boom when I was in 12th grade and I have been using ChatGPT, Gemini and Deepseek since then. I am starting to notice that now I cannot do searching anymore. I literally cannot do anything on my own like coding, learning something, fact checking, doing my assignments. I even become so reliant on it that I sometime even ask it what food should I eat, what exercises I should do. Sometimes, I “talk” with ChatGPT more than real human beings, maybe cuz I somehow end up having a bad experience or not so fulfilling experience with people. I have to use AI again and again for the same question, e.g., I asked a question today, I got the answer. If I encountered that question later again, I would not know the answer and have to go to AI for solution. What to do now? How to get out of this dependence on AI?
AI is like a slot machine. You pull the lever. You see it do the magic. You get the dopamine boost. You do it again.
It can be addicting.
I use AI quite a lot at work for that productivity boost. I never use AI outside work though. What works for me is that I’m quite used to interacting with my own inner monologue. I rarely go out and seek answers to my questions. Those times I do seek answers I accept I won’t find the answer. I’ve made peace with not having the answer to everything.
Practice being alone with your mind. Go for long walks. Learn to accept it’s ok not to know.