AI and Identity

 

It is often said that the invention of writing and the printing press enabled humans to record and store information outside their brains, contributing to a decline in memory. At the same time, the immense benefits of these inventions—which greatly accelerated the sharing and dissemination of knowledge—cannot be overlooked. Likewise, the rapid advancement of AI in recent years has brought remarkable improvements in productivity, freed people from burdensome and repetitive tasks, and contributed to breakthroughs in science and technology. However, it has also raised concerns that humans may experience not only a further decline in memory but also a weakening of cognitive abilities such as information gathering, interpretation, problem-solving, concentration, and resilience. In particular, excessive reliance on external thinking tools like AI could weaken independent thought and even erode one's sense of identity. Therefore, it would be wise to use AI primarily as a supplement to human thinking rather than as a substitute for it.