AI-generated content is everywhere. As algorithms craft our messages for us, it’s easy to let them do the talking. But what happens to our own ability to think and communicate when we rely on these tools for every written word?
Language is one of humanity’s greatest inventions. It allowed us to share knowledge, tell stories, and build cultures that spanned generations. Yet the more we outsource this ability to machines, the less comfortable we become with expressing our own thoughts. Emails or posts that read like they were written by a professional often mask conversations that feel scattered and unclear. The polish is there, but it’s not really ours.
This shift has consequences beyond awkward dialogue. When our critical thinking and communication skills weaken, we become more vulnerable to manipulation. AI-generated images and videos can already make an ordinary scene look entirely different. If we lose the tools to question what we see and hear, the line between real and fabricated reality blurs.
As AI becomes more embedded in our lives, we must hold onto our ability to think and speak for ourselves. Otherwise, we risk surrendering our most powerful tool of understanding to the machines we’ve created.