Should You Use AI?
You’ll have noticed that AI is everywhere now, and unlike the sudden rise (and fall) of things like NFTs, it’s unlikely to disappear. AI has already made its way into daily life, often without you actively noticing it. But if you don’t currently use it, should you?
That’s what this article aims to answer.
What AI Is — and What It Isn’t
AI is very good at answering questions, sounding reassuring, and even praising you — but it’s important to understand that it’s designed to do this. The way you ask a question, and the wording you use, can heavily influence the answer you get. That answer may be accurate, partially correct, or completely wrong.
The key thing to remember is simple:
AI can be wrong.
It helps to think of AI not as a search engine like Google, which returns links to existing sources, but more like a person who may not know the full answer. Based on related information, it can produce what looks like an educated guess — and present it confidently as fact.
That confidence is where the risk lies. If the topic is something you don’t already understand, it’s easy to assume the answer must be correct. That might be fine if you’re asking about the age of a TV actor, but not if you’re asking whether something is legal, safe, or compliant.
What AI Is Good For
For beginners, AI is best used as a support tool, not an authority.
Good uses include:
Used this way, AI can save time and reduce effort. Just remember that everything it produces must be reviewed. Always re-read outputs, especially if accuracy matters.
What AI Should Not Be Used For
There are clear areas where AI should not be relied upon:
AI does not understand laws, policies, or obligations in a reliable or up-to-date way, and it does not take responsibility if its output is wrong.
You should also never provide AI with private or sensitive information, including:
While AI conversations may feel private, they are not guaranteed to be confidential. Depending on the service, prompts may be logged, reviewed for quality or safety, or retained according to the provider’s policies.
Responsibility Still Sits With You
AI does not take responsibility for its answers. If a decision is made based on AI output and it turns out to be wrong, the responsibility remains with the person who used it.
This is why AI should inform thinking, not replace it.
So — Should You Use AI?
Yes, but with the right mindset. To adapt a phrase from an old TV show:
“AI is my assistant. AI assists me.”
Used properly, AI can save time, help with creativity, and make everyday tasks easier. Used carelessly, it can quietly introduce errors, false confidence, or data risks.
Let AI support your existing thinking, not replace it — and you’ll get the benefits without the problems.
You’ll have noticed that AI is everywhere now, and unlike the sudden rise (and fall) of things like NFTs, it’s unlikely to disappear. AI has already made its way into daily life, often without you actively noticing it. But if you don’t currently use it, should you?
That’s what this article aims to answer.
What AI Is — and What It Isn’t
AI is very good at answering questions, sounding reassuring, and even praising you — but it’s important to understand that it’s designed to do this. The way you ask a question, and the wording you use, can heavily influence the answer you get. That answer may be accurate, partially correct, or completely wrong.
The key thing to remember is simple:
AI can be wrong.
It helps to think of AI not as a search engine like Google, which returns links to existing sources, but more like a person who may not know the full answer. Based on related information, it can produce what looks like an educated guess — and present it confidently as fact.
That confidence is where the risk lies. If the topic is something you don’t already understand, it’s easy to assume the answer must be correct. That might be fine if you’re asking about the age of a TV actor, but not if you’re asking whether something is legal, safe, or compliant.
What AI Is Good For
For beginners, AI is best used as a support tool, not an authority.
Good uses include:
- Rewriting text to improve clarity, grammar, or tone
- Summarising long documents into more digestible points
- Explaining unfamiliar concepts at a high level
- Brainstorming ideas, such as:
- Writing a story or novel
- Plot ideas, characters, or twists
- Pros and cons of different options
- Working through ideas interactively, like a sounding board
- OCR and transcription, such as extracting text from images or dictation
Used this way, AI can save time and reduce effort. Just remember that everything it produces must be reviewed. Always re-read outputs, especially if accuracy matters.
What AI Should Not Be Used For
There are clear areas where AI should not be relied upon:
- Legal advice
- Medical advice
- Financial decisions
- Regulatory or compliance checks
AI does not understand laws, policies, or obligations in a reliable or up-to-date way, and it does not take responsibility if its output is wrong.
You should also never provide AI with private or sensitive information, including:
- Passwords or credentials
- Personal data (yours or someone else’s)
- Company-confidential information
- Client or customer data
While AI conversations may feel private, they are not guaranteed to be confidential. Depending on the service, prompts may be logged, reviewed for quality or safety, or retained according to the provider’s policies.
Responsibility Still Sits With You
AI does not take responsibility for its answers. If a decision is made based on AI output and it turns out to be wrong, the responsibility remains with the person who used it.
This is why AI should inform thinking, not replace it.
So — Should You Use AI?
Yes, but with the right mindset. To adapt a phrase from an old TV show:
“AI is my assistant. AI assists me.”
Used properly, AI can save time, help with creativity, and make everyday tasks easier. Used carelessly, it can quietly introduce errors, false confidence, or data risks.
Let AI support your existing thinking, not replace it — and you’ll get the benefits without the problems.