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Faria Islam
Apr 144 min read

Are Your Boundaries Building You Up or Holding You Back?

Imagine yourself trying to focus on studying for an upcoming exam. You've been diligent in your studies, dedicating yourself to the task at hand. However, despite your efforts, you get distracted by a simple notification and end up spending time scrolling through reels and messages. As a result, you lose track of time and waste the time you previously planned to use for something productive. Each interruption breaks your concentration, leaving you feeling stressed and worried about meeting your deadlines. Little do you realize, you've fallen into the trap set by AI algorithms. As Elon Musk says, "AI is humanity's biggest existential threat."


Maintaining Cognitive Resilience in an AI era

While AI undoubtedly offers numerous benefits, it also poses a danger by potentially weakening skills that we fail to actively exercise. It's a concept similar to how our muscles can become weaker if we don't use them often enough (Branch, 2023). Just as muscles need regular exercise to stay strong, our cognitive abilities may decline if we become overly reliant on AI to handle tasks that once required our active participation. This dependence not only puts our academic performance at risk, but also takes a toll on our mental well-being, as these aspects are closely connected.


As AI technologies become increasingly prevalent in handling tasks nowadays, there's concern about whether we're losing touch with reality. As students, we're at a crucial stage of life where we actively learn, develop cognitive abilities, and shape our personalities for the future. Our capacity to think and reason is our greatest asset, as we not only acquire knowledge but also develop fundamental skills that will serve us throughout our lives. In the classroom, these skills enable us to comprehend new concepts, evaluate information, and formulate questions. Beyond academia, they provide us with resources to solve real-world problems. Sure, learning continues throughout life, but nothing quite compares to the learning we do during our student days. 


Given AI's ability to provide quick solutions, it raises the question: Does AI pose a threat to the development of these skills in students' lives? According to a study by Ahmad et al. (2023), AI significantly influences decision-making and productivity among university students in China and Pakistan. The research found that 27.7% of respondents felt that AI hindered their decision-making abilities, with a notable majority (68.9%) attributing feelings of laziness to AI (Ahmad et al., 2023). As students ourselves, we can see that within university settings, there's a noticeable increase in reliance on AI in students' studies, which negatively impacts our learning and development. Thus, it's important to find a middle ground where we can use AI efficiently while still valuing the irreplaceable input that humans provide, keeping our core essence intact.


The Importance of Human Direction

When I think about AI tools, it's like using a TV remote, a handy device that helps with tasks and makes life simpler. But just like how you need someone to handle the remote to change channels or adjust volume, AI needs human direction to achieve favorable outcomes. It's there to assist with tasks, but ultimately, it's our input and guidance that ensure it's used appropriately. 

To exemplify, due to the convenient accessibility of AI, it can be tempting for students to let AI do our work for us. However, instead of relying on AI tools to complete assignments and thereby, risk plagiarism, we can integrate AI into our studying process. This might involve generating study guides or getting additional explanations on complex topics to enhance learning. This way, AI supports our learning without compromising academic integrity. Another common misuse of AI is when students avoid reading textbooks and generate summaries instead, often due to finding their readings exhausting. This practice can lead to a decline in their reading abilities. A more effective approach could be using text-to-speech technology so students can listen to the content being read aloud and absorb the content while staying engaged. These examples illustrate how we can utilize AI to our advantage while also being mindful of ethical boundaries. Although AI is efficient, it needs human direction to be truly effective. Afterall, it's about finding a balance between using technology's advantages and keeping our human skills sharp. 


So, what's the takeaway? Setting boundaries with AI is a must of all, whether you're a student using it for studying, a professional at work, or just dealing with AI in daily life. Knowing when to say "enough" is key. Think about what would happen if everyone ignored traffic signals—it would be a mess! Similarly, without setting our own boundaries, things get chaotic and we might lose control of our lives. By gaining a deeper understanding of what AI can and can't do, we take control to use it wisely. This will help us in making sure it enhances, not dominates, our lives. So why not begin practicing the establishment of boundaries with AI early on, especially now while we're still in our school years?

 

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The Mental Unity Group (TMUG) is a recognized campus group that aims for a stronger UTSC community, equipped with the skills necessary to promote mental wellness.

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