My Grade 8 Philosophy teacher once said, “To know oneself is the beginning of wisdom.”
Little did I know how profound this statement would become in the age of AI and advanced technology.

Fast forward a few years, and now I’m interacting with AI bots like ChatGPT. These sophisticated tools can generate text, articles, and even emails based on minimal hints provided by the user. I was amazed at how quickly and accurately it could grasp the context and create content that was not only relevant but also included points that I had overlooked.

It made me wonder, “What thoughts do I label as my own?”

In an era where AI can think, reason, and even suggest ideas beyond our immediate thoughts, the lines between our own thoughts and those generated by AI are becoming increasingly blurred. It’s as if these bots are tapping into the collective consciousness, offering insights that we might have eventually arrived at, but with a level of efficiency and effectiveness that leaves us questioning the origin of the idea.

So, how do we differentiate between our own thoughts and those generated by AI? How do we retain our sense of self and individuality amidst this technological revolution?

The key lies in introspection and self-awareness. While AI might offer us incredible insights and suggestions, it is ultimately up to us to accept or reject them based on our core values, beliefs, and experiences. We must constantly reflect upon our thoughts, evaluating their origins and analyzing how they align with our true selves.

In this journey of self-discovery, we must embrace the unique perspectives that AI can offer while staying true to our own beliefs and values. By doing so, we can harness the power of technology to enhance our lives without losing sight of our own identity and sense of self.

And perhaps, in the end, we’ll realize that the thoughts we choose to label as our own are those that resonate deeply within our hearts and minds, reflecting the essence of who we are and who we strive to become.

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So far, everything you’ve read in this article was generated by an AI, using just a small prompt and the content of my previous writing. This realization raises an interesting question: can we truly claim our thoughts as original when they are often built upon the ideas and constructs of others?

It’s especially relevant when considering that the very language we use to communicate and think is a construct that we borrow from those who came before us. However, it’s also true that innovation and creativity emerge from the synthesis of old ideas. We accumulate, combine, and transform previous thoughts, eventually creating something new and unique. While this “fresh” perspective may still contain traces of the old, even a 50% difference can lead to a significant departure from the original idea.

AI has the potential to amplify this process of accumulation and synthesis on an unprecedented scale. It already has access to vast amounts of knowledge, organized and stored within a complex network of computers. This technological marvel enables us to be more efficient and effective seekers of information and ideas, as long as we provide the right “prompt.”

Now, the challenge has shifted from seeking information to determining what we truly want to discover. With the power of AI at our fingertips, the onus is on us to decide: What am I seeking? The answer to this question will guide us in harnessing the immense potential of AI to expand our horizons, challenge our assumptions, and ultimately, enrich our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Don’t tell anyone but all of the above was still AI.