AI Anxiety?

Have you ever been at a point when you’re racking your brains to create or write and struggle with no new inspiration, when other magical tools can produce such amazing new results in about 30 seconds? Or, you finally found a job delivering food, and you are worried that your job will be replaced by a food delivery robot?Or you even look at the paintings that you have worked hard on for dozens of days, and in the end they don´t look as good as the ones generated by AI.

Personally, I not only deeply feel the impact of AI technology on all aspects of life, but also often feel worried about AI technology. If you feel the same way, we are not alone. Next, let’s talk about this globally shared symptom — “artificial intelligence anxiety”.

With the rise of Open AI’s ChatGPT and Midjourney, the wave of the artificial intelligence revolution has accelerated, and artificial intelligence (AI) has gradually penetrated into all aspects of our lives. It has made great progress in many fields and brought many conveniences and innovations into our lives. However, with the rapid development of AI technology, a new psychological phenomenon has gradually emerged, namely “artificial intelligence anxiety”.

Is artificial intelligence (AI) making you more anxious? In the following I will mention 5 causes of AI-Anxiety and 7 tips to help us better understand our own cognition and deal with the anxiety caused by AI:

1. We feel our value is threatened

We must have all witnessed the remarkable capabilities and efficiency of artificial intelligence with the success of ChatGPT and Midjourney. They can generate many ideas for business plans, product descriptions, translation jobs, and even generate a fully formatted blog post in a short period of time. The time required is measured in seconds only. Although the generated products sometimes do not read smoothly and cannot truly replace work done by humans, however, compared with the high-quality output in a very short period of time, which really surprises us all. Some artists spend days or months creating their artwork, but Midjorney can use their database to produce a new image or artwork in seconds or minutes. When we roughly compare our own output efficiency with AI, and materialize our own value as the efficiency of our own output, the high efficiency and high output of artificial intelligence and easy access to it, will lead to our insecurities and doubt of our own value.

2. We are overwhelmed by the information generated by AI

In an age of AI-generated information, feeling overwhelmed is a normal experience.

We are often overwhelmed by the information deluge due to the enormous amount of information generated by AI in seconds. We don’t know how to digest such a huge amount of information in a short period of time.

3. We feel our current position is threatened

This is indeed a reality. I saw a BBC report that staff were very lost and worried about losing their current jobs when they thought about the prospect of their roles being replaced by technology in the next few years. The development of artificial intelligence is bound to replace some simple and repetitive jobs. We have a sense of crisis and fear of losing our jobs.

4. AI can make cheating and crime easier

Artificial intelligence can generate any fake picture at anyone’s request. This would make crime much easier: invasions of privacy, moral issues, and power relations between humans and machines would be inescapable social problems.

The mass generation of artificial intelligence may lead to the spread of misinformation, as well as faked photos and videos on the Internet. The public is easily confused by it, and it is difficult to distinguish true from false. Therefore, it is indeed a concern if we are not careful about using our technology without ethical standards and a well-established legal framework.

5. Hidden Uncertainties

People instinctively fear the unknown and uncertainty. The rapid development of artificial intelligence has triggered our intuitive fears about almost every aspect of our future life. What will happen next and where will the end be? No one can give a concrete answer. We may feel helpless and out of control, fearing that we will be replaced by technology or marginalized. In addition, exponentially accelerating technological progress and information overload can also lead to heightened anxiety.

Has artificial intelligence made you feel more anxious and doubt yourself? Do you feel unworthy and worried about being replaced when you compare yourself to AI?

I did have this strong feeling when artificial intelligence emerged as such a powerful tool and continues to improve rapidly. However, as time went on, I did more research on the topic and talked to my friends about my concerns, and my anxiety lessened. So if you feel this way too, don’t worry, you’re not the only one who feels this way.

Knowing our anxiety about AI, I will provide 7 strategies to help us better confront the challenges brought about by the era of artificial intelligence:

1. Recognize your own unique value

We compare ourselves to AI, believing our value is achieved through the our work and performance. However, we are not machines, we are living creatures. Our existence is already very impressive. As intelligent beings, we have many different abilities that are uniquely human, such as emotional intelligence, courage, intelligence and creativity. And as individuals, we each have our own unique character and qualities.

We can gain a better understanding of our inner world through more inward observation and exploration, and have more positive self-conversation to build a sense of inner strength. We need to be aware of our unique value and not let the environment easily overwhelm our own value. It takes self-compassion, a growth mindset, patience, and a constant exploration of inner curiosity.

AI may indeed be able to perform some tasks much faster than we can, but our own worth will not be negatively affected. Because we are not machines, we are creative, sentient beings with unique qualities of being human.

2. Change the mindset about AI: Realize that AI is just a tool:

It’s important to remember that AI is a man-made tool designed to support and extend our capabilities, not replace us entirely. Artificial intelligence, like every technological revolution in history, will bring innovation and change. The focus is not AI per se, but on how we humans use this tool. If we can formulate appropriate laws and regulations to use it more ethically and avoid their potential risks, then artificial intelligence is also likely to bring us the greatest benefits, which will ultimately make our lives better. Therefore, it is time to change the negative perception of AI as a blanket negative. It is we who regulate the use of AI, not the other way around.

3. Accept uncertainty:

In the face of a rapidly changing technological world, we need to accept that uncertainty exists. Artificial intelligence is the same as every technological revolution in history and it does not exist in isolation. From a historical point of view, human beings can adapt to the changes of the times and technological innovations, and let our society develop forward through them. We can try to actively embrace change, respond flexibly to adapt to new changes, and develop our skills and abilities to meet possible challenges in the future.

4. Develop your own Skills

Appropriate anxiety can make people feel a certain sense of crisis, and turn the sense of crisis into a driving force for progress. In the face of the wave of artificial intelligence, we can adapt to the new trend by continuously learning, such as continuously learning new skills, continuously strengthening our own capabilities, and updating our mindset.

5. Create digital balance

Being mindful of when we use our devices and being clear about what we use technology for is one way to effectively manage our relationship with technology. This makes us aware of how much time and energy we spend on our devices, and helps us find a balance between our online and offline activities. This will allow us to regain a sense of control over our use of technology and help us better plan other meaningful activities, such as sports, hobbies or socializing. Plan how to use technology, don’t let it overwhelm us in turn.

6. Establish a digital detox day

Setting up a digital detox day will be very helpful in getting rid of anxiety. Just set up a digital detox day for the week and cut out all electronic devices on that day. Take regular breaks from technology to rejuvenate and recharge. Disconnect from your devices and engage in activities that promote relaxation, focus, and face-to-face interaction. Use this time to enjoy nature, read a book, exercise, or pursue a hobby.

7. Feel the interpersonal connection

In a world increasingly driven by digital interaction, we need to pause and feel the power of genuine human connection. Humans are social animals and our happiness depends on the quality of the relationships we foster.

You can spend more time with family or friends. Even if it’s just a picnic with the family or a phone call with some friends you want to talk to. Feeling the love and connection between your loved ones will bring you warmth and a deep sense of well-being. That is something that artificial intelligence cannot replace.

I hope that the analysis above of 5 reasons for AI anxiety and 7 coping strategies will make you more confident in facing the challenges in the era of artificial intelligence. Since the wave of technological innovation is unavoidable, I hope that we can all embrace change and use technological innovation to make our lives better.