Hey ChatGPT, Does This Sound OK?

We’ve all witnessed the rapid rise of generative AI in recent years. It sometimes feels like a colossal steamtrain running through society, where you either jump on board or risk being left behind. The immense hype surrounding this technology, especially amongst younger generations, has been fascinating. Millennials and Gen Z are already adept at picking up new tech and have, for the past few years, been encountering AI - bringing with it a new flavor of how we may interact with technology.

Like with other technologies that have gained popularity in recent history, such as the internet and social media, it’s challenging to predict how we’ll choose to interact with them. Sometimes, we fail to account for the potential pitfalls, much like how internet trolling emerged as an unforeseen consequence of online anonymity.

AI and the Nature of Human Interaction

One aspect I’ve been grappling with for some time now is our relationship with AI. There’s something about AI that taps into, or perhaps even challenges, the very human nature of our interactions. The rise of platforms like MidJourney, DALL-E, and other AI image generators sparked significant backlash from creators who felt that human artistic skill was being undermined. These platforms struck a nerve, prompting us to reflect on the uniquely human nature of creativity.

Now that the initial hype is beginning to settle and people are integrating AI into their daily lives and work, the thought remains - does AI still make us question what it means to truly behave and interact as humans?

Interestingly, in my experience with AI, I noticed that I initially had a strong tendency to be overly polite. Much like with Siri or Alexa, I couldn’t ask questions without adding my ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. It felt completely natural to interact with certain tech more humanly. I would never type ‘Thanks so much!’ into a Google search, but I always make sure to thank Siri or ChatGPT.

For a while, I wondered if this etiquette was just a personal or cultural habit, but I’ve noticed that as AI becomes more ingrained in our lives these oddly human-like interactions are increasing. Recently, I was speaking to a friend who mentioned that they’ve stopped using dating apps because it feels like all the responses are crafted by people using AI to generate the perfect lines. This got me thinking - how are we really interacting with AI and is the turning to AI in our personal lives part of a wider shift?

AI as a Social Safety Net

From what I see, remote working is a key factor here. Many young people I know work exclusively or mostly from home, spending their days in front of a screen. Without the coffee machine chit-chat or a colleague across the desk to ask a quick question to, remote work can be quite isolating despite the online meetings and Teams chats.

In the office, it was easy to turn to your neighbor and ask, ‘Hey, does this email look okay to you?’. But somehow, writing this out over chat feels like a bigger ask. So what’s the easy solution? Increasingly, people are turning to AI models like ChatGPT to review their emails or documents. What’s interesting is that, while it’s a great tool for this, it also provides a little nook of social safety, like a virtual thumbs-up before sending something out. It feels like you’re having a conversation, and when the AI helps you, it’s natural to feel grateful and find a bit of refuge in that interaction.

This brings me back to the idea of AI writing your dating app bio or messages to someone you fancy. Are we slipping into a dynamic where AI chat models act as more of a close friend or advisor? Could we be becoming overly reliant on these tools to validate what we’re saying? I, for one, have started to notice this in my own life. I often turn to ChatGPT for suggested sentences or to clean up my wording, finding comfort in having this safety blanket or secret helper at my fingertips.

In a world where human interactions may be less frequent, especially in remote work settings, AI is stepping in as an extra hand to guide us. I’m very curious to see how the relationship between humans and AI will develop, especially as our work environments continue to evolve. Will we form attachments to these tools, constantly thanking them for their help, as they become more integrated into our daily lives? Perhaps we already are. I think we need to become aware of our relationships with AI and what that may mean for our relationships with each other as we move forward. And so, in true AI fashion, here’s a final sentence from ChatGPT -  ‘As we continue to navigate this brave new world of AI, remember - whether it’s for a dating app bio or a work email, a little ‘thank you’ to our digital assistants might just be the new normal in this age of virtual manners’.