I was having a discussion the other day with a good friend of mine, and I mentioned that I can’t imagine my life before ChatGPT came out. I remember how I used to study, but how did I ever manage to handle multiple projects and tasks all at once?
AI has changed my life in countless ways; it’s made everything easier and more efficient. But with every advantage comes a potential drawback. As a young person navigating today’s world, I think it’s crucial to understand how to use AI properly and responsibly.
Lately, I’ve been grappling with a dilemma: am I becoming too reliant on AI? I use it for almost everything, even writing my emails (yes, I admit it). From brainstorming ideas to managing tasks, all it takes is a quick prompt, and AI does the rest.
Life has never been easier. But is it better?
Well, if you’re unfamiliar with the term, AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. This is technology designed to think, learn, and make decisions like human beings. They are still perfecting the “human” part, but basically, AI filters through tons of information found online or from several sources and gives us informed responses based on that.
In other words, it works like the human brain, where the responses are based on the information stored inside.
The applications of AI are endless — from education, healthcare, and even down to sports. It has changed the way the world works, and future generations stand to benefit generously from it.
As a young adult, AI has helped me improve drastically. I can now work on multiple tasks more efficiently, complete projects in record time, and still have time left to work on other activities. It even works as my personal assistant — from gym instructor to personal study partner to writing proofreader — it wears so many hats.
Even beyond my personal experience, AI is making learning easier for everyone. With tools like Duolingo, students can pick up new languages on the go, while Grammarly helps us write clearly and professionally. These tools give young people a leg up in an increasingly digital world.
AI is also making waves in the healthcare sector. It’s speeding up diagnoses and identifying illnesses before they become serious. For people with disabilities, AI tools such as screen readers, voice recognition software, and real-time translation services are making society more inclusive.
Technology like this isn’t just helpful — it’s transformative.
To bring this closer to home, Canada’s natural resource sector is also being reshaped by AI. In the oil and gas industry, AI is being used for predictive maintenance on pipelines, helping detect corrosion or mechanical issues before they cause serious problems, reducing downtime, improving safety, and saving millions in repairs.
In mining, AI algorithms are optimizing drilling routes and improving ore recovery rates, all while reducing environmental impact. And in agriculture, farmers are now using AI tools to monitor crop health, analyze soil conditions, and even predict weather patterns more accurately.
These innovations aren’t just technical upgrades — they’re creating new job opportunities for young Canadians and reshaping entire industries we’ve relied on for decades.
There’s a popular saying that goes, “With great power comes great responsibility,” and that clearly applies to the situation with AI. I believe in having a healthy balance when using anything, and for something as powerful as AI, it’s even more important. As much as it’s easy to use AI, we occasionally need to stop and work things out on our own.
I believe in critical thinking and having our own personalized ideas. But by relying too heavily on AI, we risk losing the ability to think creatively. It’s important that we pause sometimes and also challenge ourselves to do things the hard way. Yes, I know it won’t be easy. But it will make us better.
I believe artificial intelligence should be controlled and used by us — not the other way around. We should dictate to it, not allow it to dictate to us. AI can be a powerful partner or assistant, but it should never govern our every move and behavior.
At the end of the day, it’s up to us as young people to decide how we want AI to shape our lives. When used well it makes for an incredible partner. Misused it becomes a headache.
The key is balance.
If we build good habits now, we can make sure it stays a tool that helps us, not something that controls us, it’s our responsibility to use AI wisely: to see it as a tool. The future is in our hands — and how we choose to use AI will shape the world we live in.
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