AI is Amazing . . . Until it Isn’t
Shopping for a new laptop recently, I asked ChatGPT what specifications would best fit my needs. I wanted plenty of storage, enough speed to last several years, and a price that fit within my budget. In seconds, it explained what I should be looking for, recommended several styles and brands, and even pointed me to a local store.
Armed with that information, I drove to Best Buy, confident I knew exactly what I was looking for. That’s when received a dose of reality.
The salesman listened to my requirements, looked at the computer AI had recommended, and quietly explained that it had been discontinued. If I wanted the storage and performance I needed, I was looking at a starting price of about $900.
At first, I thought AI had let me down. Then I realized it had actually taught me something important.
AIhelpedmeunderstandwhichfeaturesmatteredmost.Ittaught me the difference between memory, storage, and processor speed. But it hadn’t verified that the specific computer was still available. It also reminded me of something we all need to remember.
Many people think AI is simply another version of Google. It isn’t. Think of Google as a librarian. You ask where to find information about the Civil War, and the librarian points you to books and websites. Google helps you find information, but you must still read it, compare sources, and decide what’s trustworthy.
Now think of AI as a research assistant. Instead of handing you a stack of books, it says, “I’ve read them. Here’s the common answer in plain English.”
That can save an incredible amount of time. But research assistants can misunderstand a source, overlook new information, or make mistakes. AI can, too. A confident answer isn’t always a correct one. I’ve never been fond of the term artificial intelligence. It almost suggests a machine is somehow smarter than we are. I prefer to think of AI as a digital knowledge guide – one that can summarize information, compare products, explain difficult subjects, organize ideas, and help us ask better questions. But it can never replace human experience, judgment, or the habit of verifying important facts. The final decision still belongs to us.
Maybe the simplest way to remember the difference is this: Google helps us find information. AI helps us understand information. Neither replaces common sense.
Lisa Musick of Praha is a writer, historian and welcomes feedback and questions via email at: lisa@lisamusick.com