Hello,
This is Shannon Algeo and welcome to this conversation about AI anxiety and embracing what makes us human in this wild time of transformation in our world that's bringing up so much anxiety for many,
Many people.
And we're going to explore the definition of what is AI anxiety actually as researchers are talking about it.
What do we do with that anxiety?
So I'm getting out my paper here because the researchers from University of Chicago,
Illinois,
Johns Hopkins University,
And researchers from Seoul,
South Korea have defined AI anxiety.
And I want to read this because I want to get it right.
So artificial intelligence anxiety,
AI anxiety,
Refers to the general apprehension or unease individuals experience in response to the rapid development and integration of AI technologies into various aspects of society.
This form of anxiety encompasses a range of concerns,
Including fears about job insecurity,
Privacy infringements,
Loss of human control over AI systems,
And the potential for AI-generated misinformation and biases.
And here's the last sentence of this research.
These worries reflect.
A societal-level psychological response.
A societal-level psychological response to the uncertainties and challenges posed by AI's pervasive presence in everyday life.
Okay,
So AI anxiety is a thing,
And I think it's important for us to talk about it.
As something.
And I know for me,
Just reading that definition gives me some relief because I feel a little bit less alone and I feel like I am existing in a greater context of a human experience that we are all facing and tasked with navigating.
Okay,
So what we're going to do here today is not just define AI anxiety,
But we're going to talk about what we can do with the anxiety that we're experiencing.
And I want to start off by sharing a bit of a reframe about anxiety.
So just to distinguish,
This is not a diagnostic clinical pathological anxiety,
But rather a societal level psychological response to something that's happening in our world.
So there's a difference between clinical anxiety and AI anxiety.
But the reframe that I want to bring into the chat here is that anxiety is an asset.
And what I mean by that is in our human bodies,
When we are experiencing signals of danger,
That is information for us to listen to,
To honor,
And to integrate.
So if so many of us are experiencing anxiety collectively together,
Then perhaps that's something that we need to listen to because it's worthy of our attention.
Now,
I know that not every fear that we have,
Just like not every thought that we have,
Not every emotion that we have,
Is the full conclusive truth about a situation.
However,
When we are experiencing a recurring sense concern,
I think we can reframe that anxiety into an asset because in our human bodies,
We are aware.
That something is off,
Something is different,
Something is changing,
And something requires not only our attention,
But our participation.
My friends at the Center for Humane Technology have come out with a campaign called Staying Human.
And this is about AI and what makes us human.
And they identified something that I think is so important to share with you here on Insight Timer,
Because these five pillars of our humanity that they have named in my opinion,
Profoundly crossover with the values of Insight Timer and the many people who use it around the world.
Center for Humane Technology identified the five broad pillars of our humanity that are being impacted by AI and modern technology,
And those pillars are one our relationships.
Two,
Our cognitive capacities,
The capacities of our brains,
Three are inner worlds.
Four are identities.
And five.
Our work and purpose.
So each of these things,
Relationships,
Cognitive capacities,
Inner worlds,
Our identities,
And our work and purpose are being touched and impacted by AI and modern technology.
And that's been my area of research is specifically how modern technology is impacting our human attachment systems and our relationships.
So what can we do about this?
Because,
You know,
I keep thinking about the definition of trauma that I learned from Peter Levine,
Which is trauma is anything that overwhelms our capacity to cope and leaves us feeling hopeless,
Helpless,
Or unable to respond.
Leaves us feeling helpless,
Hopeless,
And unable to respond.
And I think that that's such a feature of this age of such dominant power from systems that are operating and influencing our everyday lives.
So how can we take our power back and reclaim the power in our hands,
The power of our minds,
The power of our attention,
The power of our human relationships?
And I think that this is best addressed through three questions that I would love to share with you as an inquiry and as a practice as we continue to find ways of soothing AI anxiety and taking bold and meaningful action.
So the first question that I want to ask you When you are interacting with technology,
Whether that's your smartphone or if you're using a large language model,
How do you feel internally?
What is your experience internally after,
Maybe as you're going to the technology,
As you're using it,
Right after you use it?
What is your human body telling you about that exchange?
And what are you feeling on the inside?
And then number two,
How are you feeling interpersonally as you navigate your relationship with AI?
How is technology and artificial intelligence impacting your other relationships in your life?
And maybe you don't necessarily know,
But that could be something to journal about,
Reflect upon,
Or meditate on.
How is AI impacting my other human relationships?
And then the third question I have for you.
So that we can move out of getting stuck and stagnant in our AI anxiety and feel hopeless and helpless and unable to respond.
What is one action that you can take to reclaim the power within your own body,
Your ecosystem,
Your heart,
Your mind,
Your hands?
What is one thing that you can do to take action that is in alignment with what matters to you,
What your values are,
And what your goals are?
Because I think the The.
.
.
Systems that we're operating in benefits when we roll over and think we are powerless.
So what is one action that you can take to move from that feeling of powerlessness and move to an experience of feeling and being powerful?
Now,
I don't have all the answers to all of the AI anxieties and questions,
But I will be talking about this more here on Insight Timer,
In meditations,
Offerings,
And live events,
And I so look forward to seeing you there.
We're all in this together,
So thank you for being in this exploration with me,
And I look forward to seeing you soon.
