The Power of Artificial Intelligence as a Thinking Partner: Embrace Its Importance

Confession time: I used to be quite skeptical about artificial intelligence (AI).

My uncertainty reached a point where I didn't even want to engage with the topic. However, once I finally delved into the world of AI, I discovered that I had been missing out on an extraordinary and revolutionary tool that could enrich the way I think and take notes.

This abrupt realization made me wonder how many others shy away from embracing AI in their workflows. Perhaps the hype surrounding AI, the potential unknowns, or even the perceived dangers turn people away.

Regardless, if you share my hesitation, I urge you to reconsider your perspective and explore this incredible technology.

Overcoming Hesitation

My initial concerns about AI stemmed from data privacy and the possibility of obtaining incorrect or misleading results. However, as I dug deeper, I realized that there was an underlying fear of the machine replacing my own thinking abilities. I didn't want AI to diminish my intelligence, creativity, or self-worth.

This concern turned out to be unfounded. While exercising caution with AI is important, my apprehensions were exaggerated. All I needed to do was learn, reflect, and experiment with AI; soon enough, those fears dissipated.

Before long, AI became an invaluable "thinking partner" in my work - a partner available 24/7 to engage in discussions, reason, and debate on many topics.

For instance, I once explored how project teams could learn from ants' work ethic and team collaboration. What ensued was an insightful and enjoyable AI-assisted research experience. This ultimately revealed the valuable lessons that these tiny insects could teach us. I am unsure of any other way I could have explored this subject, at least with the available resources. AI made this a possibility.

Addressing Data Privacy Concerns

Maintaining control over data and privacy begins with understanding how AI tools handle your data, utilizing AI tools that allow you to tweak settings according to your privacy needs, and only using AI tools that conform to your privacy requirements.

So, if you have reservations about AI and privacy, educate yourself on the intricacies of AI and how to customize it to suit your personal demands. With proper research, you can find AI solutions that align with your data protection requirements and reap the benefits of this groundbreaking technology.

Compounding Benefits Over Time

As my knowledge of AI grew, so did its benefits. AI proved to be an exceptional ally in the thinking process, saving time in gathering new knowledge, condensing volumes of information into its core essence, and improving the quality of my research.

AI has become a trusted collaborator in my brainstorming sessions. While not every interaction with AI yields perfect results, the journey is always intriguing, opening up unexpected paths to new ideas.

A Practical Example of Using AI as a Thinking Partner

Allow me to share a recent hands-on experience of integrating AI into my research, thought process, and note-taking. While I'll be showcasing this process using Obsidian, rest assured that this AI-assisted research method is adaptable to any Tool for Thought.

First, let's set the stage by clarifying the research subject. Not too long ago, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes - a manageable condition, but one I was mostly unfamiliar with. Thus, I set out to create a personalized "health wiki" to compile notes from my findings. The aim is to document valuable information and have easy access for future reference. Moreover, I strive to keep each health note concise, containing only the essential information needed to grasp the topic, particularly in relation to my condition. I am using the Evergreen style of note-taking.

For this, I created a Dasbhoard++ health wiki page. Here it is presented in the next picture. As you can see, I organize my notes topically. There are multiple topics, and all notes are related to a topic and a note can appear in multiple topics as needed.

With the foundation laid, I can effortlessly incorporate new health notes. This is where AI comes into play. I start by creating a new file and giving it a title. Following that, I engage the AI in a Q&A session on the subject. As we progress, I delve deeper by asking more specific questions in relation to diabetes.

Here’s a list of questions I posed to ChatGPT about the pancreas:

• What is the pancreas?
• How does the organ relate to glucose?
• What is its connection to diabetes?
• What are the potential risks to the pancreas for diabetics?

For each inquiry, the AI provides a wealth of information. I carefully read through the responses and jot down personalized notes encapsulating the pertinent details. Subsequently, I ask the AI to rephrase these notes for improved clarity and conciseness. After obtaining the revised summary, I transfer it back to Obsidian and perform a final edit to ensure my writing style remains intact and that nothing nonessential is added or missing during the process. The end product for my pancreas note appears as follows:

As you can see, this Evergreen note defines in simple terms related to my diabetic-centric research what the pancreas is and how it relates to diabetes. It is also nicely linked to other research notes that were derived from the same AI research process I just defined.

Of course, one topic often leads to many other topics. Along the way, I quickly create new notes for researching other topics. When I finish one, I move on to the other.

Having used AI as a thinking partner in this research, I discovered a few interesting things when I used AI:

• I spend less time digging around the internet for information.
• I spend more time thinking about the information I get so quickly.
• I even got answers to some questions that I think would have been very difficult to answer having used traditional "Google search" methods.

In summary: I save time and focus more on thinking about things that interest and help me.

From Skeptic to Advocate

Looking back, my skepticism towards AI now seems misplaced. Embracing AI has the potential to enhance our thinking and note-taking abilities in ways I once thought impossible. Therefore, it's crucial not to disregard AI but instead integrate it into our thinking workflows.

It's essential to educate ourselves about AI and witness its development first-hand.

So, my advice to you, if you have hesitated to implement it into your work, is to embrace AI. Start learning how to use it effectively and incorporate it into problem-solving and your thought process.

While learning and implementing AI takes time, effort, and resources, the investment in oneself will surely prove worthwhile. This effort will pay off, providing a competitive edge in both your work and life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TfTHacker is a researcher in the field of user productivity with a focus on Tools for Thought and PKM. You can learn more about TfTHacker's work at: https://tfthacker.com/