An academic traveling from Liverpool to London recently observed many train passengers deeply engaged with artificial intelligence chatbots, including ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. This observation occurred during a sabbatical, a time often dedicated to slow contemplation. This widespread trend is not isolated, as a US study indicated that half of surveyed adults are currently using an AI chatbot, reflecting a fast paced entry into relationships with these digital tools.
These AI tools are now receiving more questions, problems, and drafts from users than traditional human connections like friends and colleagues. While artificial intelligence has been noted to level the playing field for multilingual academics, the academic observer also stressed a personal commitment to maintaining independent thought, judgment, and the development of original ideas.