There was a time when an idea test went viral on the internet. It asked: “If you found yourself in trouble and you were told to text someone who would respond immediately just to get you out of the situation… who would you text?”
I remember being glued to the screen with the video paused, thinking long and hard. That was the moment I decided to take a scroll through all my contacts, but only came to the realisation, almost humorously, that the most dependable "person" I could rely on wasn't a person at all but AI. Before ChatGPT came into the picture, Google Assistant was my companion and to many people globally, even till date.
It is gradually getting to a point where ideas we once shared with parents to give us guidance have now slid into the DMs of ChatGPT. Hello ChatGPT, I am confused about something. Can you help me make the decision? That is what AI is gradually becoming: The companion of mankind.
How AI Slipped Into Our Daily Lives - One Task at a Time
AI didn't appear in our lives overnight. It gradually seeped into our daily routines. It came gradually, making itself useful before making itself trusted. I remember the days when I asked Google Voice Assistant: Can we talk about something? And the response has always been beautiful than those you will receive from a human. Yes, we are humans, dynamic in many ways, but so is AI.
From my own experience as a digital content creator, I started by giving AI small tasks to do for me:
1. Asking a voice assistant to set reminders for me: Hello Bixby, can you play me a song that will put me to sleep? I am feeling so tired. And it goes right into the task, giving me cool sounds. You know Bixby, right? That Samsung AI genius is on advanced Samsung Devices.
2. On days when my hands are busy, I don't want to switch between apps before making a call; that is when Siri comes into the game. Hey Siri, can you call Mrs. James for me? The task goes through. Surprisingly, it is becoming increasingly more advanced that its power and use are what many are becoming addicted to.
We use AI in many good ways, and before we even get to know it, we depend on AI as reliable workers helping us in many ways that fit. From the classroom to hospitals, to homes, and to our workplaces, AI is doing more good than it meets the eye.
Why AI Feels Like a Companion and Not Just Another Gadget.
1. AI Learns Your Preferences
AI is always learning. Learning to become smarter and stronger, and more helpful. How helpful will it be to you when you need it? That is why it learns your preferences.
- The more you use AI, the better it adjusts:
- It remembers your writing tone
- It learns your schedules.
- It adjusts to your decision-making style.
AI creates a sense of familiarity. That same kind you get with a coworker who knows you better.
2. AI Reduces Cognitive Load
If you want to know some of the uses of AI, the reduction of Cognitive Load is no exception. One thing I didn't expect from AI was how much it reduces stress. I use AI to
- Draft my emails
- Create outlines for big projects.
- Sort documents and prioritise my daily tasks.
This gives me some peace of mind, because at the end of the day, I do not need to use my hurting fingers to touch those soft keyboards on my laptop.
3. AI Provides Emotional Support (Yes, It Really Does)
I had to research this particular function on AI, and that was when I chanced upon a research from MIT Media Lab. The research shows that conversational AI can increase feelings of social support when used responsibly. If you are a frequent user of AI, then I guess you know what I am talking about.
How AI Is Gradually Integrating Into a Lifestyle
We are living in a time where AI is merging into lifestyle choices, the way smartphones did in the early 2010s.
AI in Personal Health
Apps like MyFitnessPal, Fitbit, and Google Fit use AI to. You may be wondering what they use AI for. They use it to analyze our sleep patterns, recommend workouts for us, suggest how we can improve our diets, and provide many other beneficial health tips.
AI in Productivity
Tools such as Notion AI, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Workspace AI now help us automate our workflows, create meeting notes almost immediately, draft reports, and even help us organize our complex tasks. You see, our productivity no longer depends totally on us but is co-managed by AI.
AI in Creativity
Yes, I have seen a lot of YouTube content creators, TikTok content creators, and Facebook content creators using AI, and this is more beneficial to them than you may think. AI is being used by creators to enhance their SEO performance, brainstorm blog outlines, create thumbnail ideas, and repurpose content for social media.
Is AI Really Becoming a Lifestyle Trend? Absolutely. Here’s Proof.
Smart Home Dependence: Yes, smart home devices powered by AI, like Alexa, Google Home, and Siri, run households. Asking what they do in homes?
- They control the lights
- They adjust room temperatures
- They manage appliances
- They play music and many other things.
This is an everyday living, and is gradually becoming a lifestyle.
AI Companions for the Elderly: Yes, in countries like Japan and South Korea, AI robots are already integrated into elderly health care facilities.
AI in Education: Students now use AI for homework explanations, study plans, language translation, and Math problem-solving. It is available to them 24/7. Has no sleeping hours or snack breaks.
Now, what people worry about: AI is taking people out of their jobs.
Many still have the mindset that AI is replacing people and taking them out of their work. No, it is not so. AI has become a companion helping us to work more easily and quickly. Helping us find solutions to problems and teaching us. AI has brought us many advantages; let's welcome it, make it feel at home, and give it a good name.
You can also read: The Good Advantages Of Facebook That Many Fail To Make Good Use Of - Ways You Can Make Good Use of It
