Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing important in the day-to-day lives of many of us. People can use AI at work, writing emails, reports, in education, writing assignments, entertainment and research. Increasingly, some are also using AI to aid decision making and communication skills.
AI can create information and ideas quickly. This means a lot of time can be saved on tasks.
AI has definite benefits.
BUT AI is not always reliable and accurate.
Does AI make us better thinkers?
Is it giving us useful information?
Or are we starting to rely too much on AI.
Research in Australia by RMIT Online and Deloitte’s suggests that critical thinking and critical judgement is not being used enough when using AI.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft conducted a study and found that workers with greater confidence in AI showed less effort in their critical thinking.
We need to develop critical thinking and critical judgement skills to ensure we are using AI effectively.
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking basically means questioning information we are given. We look at the evidence, identify problems, look at information from different perspectives before we reach a conclusion. We don’t just take information given us on face value.
What is critical judgement?
Critical judgement means using the information to decide in the information is trustworthy, appropriate and accurate.
When we use AI, it is important to use critical thinking and critical judgement to make sure that we are confident that we can trust the information we are given.
For example –
We are studying psychology and want to know about research on child development. We might ask AI for information on current research on child development and receive a lot of information.
We then have to look at this information –
Is it accurate?
Is it biased? AI might present one theory, but what do other theories say?
Are there any problems with the information given?
Does it give us all the information we need? Are there other points of view?
Or we are looking for a reliable car, but only have a certain amount of money to spend. We might use AI to do a search for cars in the local area. But again, check whether there are other options, does it give us up to date information, are there other sellers, are the cars it has given us really suitable for us? Etc.
AI does make mistakes
AI does make mistakes, so this is why critical thinking and critical judgement is important when using AI.
AI gives us information based on –
How it has been trained.
The information it has been given.
AI takes information from the internet. The information added on the internet has generally been added by humans. Humans make mistakes too, not just AI.
If a human has added incorrect information, then AI has been given incorrect information, which it can then pass on to us.
AI can misunderstand questions
AI can also misunderstand question. It will answer what you ask, so make sure you ask the right question.
It can give information that sounds true and realistic, but actually isn’t.
When you are using AI, use your critical judgement and critical thinking skills.
Make sure that you check the information you have been given. Don’t just rely on what AI says.
AI can be biased
Again, the information that AI uses is based on what humans have given to it. This can also create bias. Human information can be discriminatory. It can contain political, cultural and social biases. This means that the responses in our searches can also contain those biases.
Consider –
Where did the information come from?
What evidence supports this viewpoint?
Are there other explanations?
Try writing the question another way round. For example – Are books or eBooks better? Try writing the question another way – What are the advantages and disadvantages of eBooks for the reader. Then do another search – What are the advantages and disadvantages of printed books for the reader.
Etc.
By doing this, you can get a more balanced view.
We can use AI in a responsible way by –
Asking questions
Trying to find out all viewpoints
Find out what information might be missing
If you are looking for training for yourself or your staff in critical thinking, problem solving and AI, we can help.
You can view our courses at www.acs.edu.au
Or contact us on admin@acs.edu.au for more information.
