I use a variety of AI tools including ChatGPT, Bing, Lex, Quillbot, PI, and Mindsera. I use them to stimulate my thinking, help with my writing, answer my questions, and chat with them when I am trying to think through an issue. I am convinced that someday, as with the Internet, email/texts, cell phones, and GPS, we will wonder how we ever managed without AI tools. But at the moment, we are in that mind-blowing space of a paradigm-shifting disruption. How do we make sense of it all?

I asked ChatGPT why using it feels like cheating when I use AI tools for writing Atomic Essays:

ChatGPT's response (with my edits) was helpful:

1. Lack of personal effort:

   Writing is a skill that requires personal effort, critical thinking, and creativity. When relying heavily on an AI tool, it diminishes the sense of personal accomplishment that comes from developing and expressing ideas independently.

2. Circumventing research:

   Writing typically involves conducting research to gather information, analyze sources, and support arguments. Depending on AI tools, one may bypass the necessary process of exploring different sources, evaluating their credibility, and engaging with the material.

3. Impersonal and formulaic:

   AI-generated content can lack the personal voice and creativity that make writing unique. It follows predictable patterns and lacks the nuanced perspective that comes from an individual's thoughts and experiences.

4. Ethical concerns: Depending on the setting/purpose, relying on AI tools could be considered cheating or plagiarism.

Back to me(!):

Those four points resonate and warrant further thought. AI is here to stay, and it will become increasingly ubiquitous. The challenge is to use it intentionally and wisely and leverage its use to improve our lives.