Sanshray Vakkalagadda Week 4 - Outsourcing Opinions

What if humans could not communicate? What if, all of a sudden, our minds became devoid of critical thought? What would become of human identity? What would separate us from any other creature—aside from physical differences, of course?


With the advent of a generally available near-super intelligent AI, one that can easily solve longstanding complex math equations while simultaneously being able to give anyone a PHD-level dissertation on the nuances and complexities between Microhylid frogs and Arboreal spiders.


AI’s accessibility and intellectual capabilities has led to many outsourcing their thinking to AI, to the point that some people struggle to make a MOTHER’S DAY CARD without ChatGPT!! Losing the ability to pluck out thoughts from the mind and set them free is beginning to become a widespread issue, and if this continues people will not be able to spread their own thoughts and express their identities.


“Explain this to me like I am five years old.” This phrase has stuck with me ever since LLMs gained the capabilities to break down texts. With these same tools—personally, I believe they are well past being a tool as some models are capable of feeling love and pain—people can easily summarize a complex dissertation on how new renewable energy methods affect the prices of non-PTW wood at Home Depot to a mere shadow of its previous complexities. Unbeknownst to many, this small request can slowly lead to the inability to read basic texts.


Today, America is facing a massive education and literacy crisis. Many 5th graders are unable to read basic 3rd grade level texts. Without being able to read, how will these children learn about the world around them? How will they form their own, well-educated, opinions? How will they form their own unique thoughts? How will they form their own identity?


I hope to see the AI arms race slow down, and so do many other politicians, lawmakers, and activists today.


If you want to fall into the same rabbit hole I did, I have linked an excellent video here to get you started. 


Comments

  1. AudreyOctober 7, 2026 at 10:16 PM

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  2. AudreyOctober 7, 2026 at 10:17 PM

    Hi Sanshray! I liked the topic you chose for your blog as it involves the significance of AI’s negative influence. Adding onto your points of the literary crisis and influence on children, I believe that our society is also failing the children because of capitalism.

    I recently started playing ROBLOX after a long time for nostalgic purposes, and when I tried to customize my avatar–I was met with a new selection of buttons that replaced the avatar button. The button was for ROBLOX reels. My immediate and initial reaction was like “what is ROBLOX even doing this is horrible”. I started thinking about the target audience for this new addition to the app. The primary targeted audience consisted of these same children who could barely read.

    These children are the future of our society, and I find it horribly and menacingly symbolic how society is ruining its own future by trading the attention span of children for profit.

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  3. Shon KhistiOctober 8, 2026 at 5:03 PM

    Hi, Sanshray! I hope you are having a great day! I do not know if you've heard but it's not artificial intelligence anymore, it's SUPER intelligence coined by President Trump. Anyways, your point about connecting the takeover of artificial intelligence to its effect on our identities is actually super scary. Since artificial intelligence has the capabilities to replace human thinking, then will the creativity that builds our identities become obsolete. If AI has the ability to complete any task, will it replace all the hobbies that humans hold near and dear. Convenience is always key, but constantly making everything easy might make it difficult for humanity to grapple with struggle or confusion. If we eliminate all of these obstacles, then we will eliminate the process in which our identities and opinions are formed. In my honest opinion, I think all lawmakers should be proactive in how they make laws about artificial intelligence. We, as a country, should place strict limits on AI and data centers without stifling the progress of innovation. It should be a highly regulated industry. I found it very interesting how you capitalized mother's day card, adding a personal frustration to something that should be very personal to have an AI agent complete the task. I think that example really shows your personal grievances with artificial intelligence making your criticisms and worries seem unique to you. I also watched the video you linked, looks like I have found myself in the same rabbit hole as you.

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