Don’t Ask AI for Every Answer. Sometimes, Ask Yourself Too

by Sonal Goel, IAS

Have you noticed how, these days, the moment you ask a young person a question, especially something factual, their fingers instinctively start racing across the screen of their phone? In fact, many don’t even bother typing anymore. They just whisper their query into the mic, and AI delivers the answer.

That’s the world we’re living in. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has made it possible.

But just take a moment to think back. If a child had a question, they would search for the answer in books. They would ask their teachers, parents, or grandparents. And in doing so, they built bonds. They cultivated patience. They developed the ability to focus, to think, to process information. In short, they learned slowly but meaningfully.

Today, it’s mostly just our eyes and fingers that move across screens. The mind often doesn’t. Let me be clear: technology is not the problem. But blind surrender to it, that’s where the concern lies.

AI is everywhere now. From solving math homework to cracking interview questions, people rely on it for everything. No doubt, it’s convenient. But have you paused to think about the cost of that convenience?

According to a BBC report, ChatGPT gained a million users in just five days. Every month, AI-generated summaries are read over 1.5 billion times. Microsoft expects its AI business to cross $10 billion by 2025.

What does it mean? It means that AI isn’t just growing, it’s accelerating like a bullet train. And we’re all passengers. But here’s the uncomfortable question: are we really passengers? Or are we just being pulled along… without even knowing the

destination? Because a true passenger knows where they’re going. But most of us don’t even know where AI is taking us.

Before you reach out to AI for help, ask yourself: Do I really need it?

AI Can Be Misleading!

Remember that old saying, “All that glitters is not gold.” In the same way, just because a tool is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for every job. Just because ChatGPT or Gemini are trending doesn’t mean every answer must come from them.

Here’s a critical point most people miss: AI often ‘hallucinates.’ That’s the technical term, by the way, it makes things up. For instance, if you ask, “When did Bhagat Singh go to the U.S.?”, AI might confidently respond, “In 1930, for a think tank meeting.” Sounds great. Except, it’s not true. Bhagat Singh never went to America.

That’s the danger. AI can feed you misleading or outright wrong information. And if you act on it in haste, you may find yourself embarrassed, even mocked. So no matter how convincing the answer sounds, never treat it as gospel truth without verification.

Then there’s the issue of privacy.

Young people are now asking AI things like, How to overcome depression without letting anyone know,” or “Based on my college photo, how do I look?” or “Solve these test questions for me.”

All of this may seem harmless in the moment. But here’s the reality, whatever you type into that chat box could be stored forever. On platforms like Meta, your prompts might even become public. The very things you hesitate to share with your closest friends or parents, don’t share them freely with a machine.

Because what becomes of that data later, how it gets used, where it ends up, is completely out of your control. And since most AI servers are based outside India, our laws offer you very limited protection if your data is misused.

So again, ask yourself: Could I have done this on my own?

Let’s be honest. Many of us turn to AI not because we need it, but because it’s easier. Faster. It spares us the effort of thinking. But ask yourself, could I have written this essay on my own? Could I have tried to understand this concept myself?

Because the day you stop thinking… is the day you stop winning.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, all I want to say is, use AI. But use it on your terms. Let it be your tool, not your master. Just like a calculator is handy, but pulling it out for every basic sum is foolishness. AI can make you smarter, but only if you know when and how to use it wisely. Otherwise, it will dull your ability to think.

Remember, creativity, emotion, ethics, relationships, society, these are deeply human qualities. No machine can replicate them. AI can write a beautiful prayer. But it can’t carry your father’s concern or your mother’s blessings.

So always be mindful, are you using technology? Or is technology using you?

AI is like a wild horse. Powerful. Fast. But the moment you loosen the reins, it can throw you into a place you never meant to go.

Stay aware. Stay in charge.