Carol asked in a comment this week if I could say something about what I believe the impact will be on society in the near term. What follows is a quick sketch of ideas, supported by my reading, and organized by an AI Chatbot that I use to keep track of my research. I’ve edited and expanded on the results that I’ve gotten from the tool I’m using.

There are several important concerns about how artificial intelligence is impacting human behavior, spanning from the personal to the societal:

1. Deterioration of Critical Thinking and Cognitive Faculties:
Academic and industry research has found that heavy reliance on generative AI tools may lead to the “deterioration of cognitive faculties that ought to be preserved.” For instance, overconfidence in AI can reduce our tendency to critically evaluate information, making us less likely to use our own judgment and reasoning skills—especially under time pressure or when stakes are perceived to be low. When users lack confidence in AI outputs or are faced with high-stakes scenarios, they engage in more critical thinking. However, as AI systems become more prevalent, the amount of time humans spend actively thinking may decrease, leading to “atrophied and unprepared” cognition if technology is used improperly. Think of the movie Wall-E for example.

2. Loss of Human Skill Development:
AI can enhance productivity, but studies suggest that when people use tools like ChatGPT for work tasks, their skills and knowledge may not be retained once access to the AI is removed. This raises worries that increasing dependence on AI could cause general skill decline across society. Similar to the first point.

3. Bias, Inequality, and Digital Divide:
AI systems can amplify social and political biases. They often display biases related to race, gender, culture, age, and more, leading to “discriminatory outcomes including unequal resource allocation, reinforcement of stereotypes, and systematic neglect of certain groups or viewpoints.” Broader concerns exist about the concentration of power over AI in the hands of a few companies, with lack of oversight and accountability allowing for potential manipulation of public opinion and “the manipulation of consciences and the democratic process”.

4. Social Fragmentation and Parochialism:
Rather than connecting us, AI—like earlier technologies—may create “bubbles” where people interact mainly with AI models reflecting their own values, fragmenting public dialogue and making it even harder to find common ground across groups. We have already seen this happen with people who use social media extensively.

5. Changing Nature of Relationships and Identity:
Anthropomorphizing AI (treating it as if it were human) especially affects children, who may learn to treat relationships in a transactional manner, potentially diminishing the depth and moral purpose of real human connections. There are also worries of “moral corrosion,” where people may start investing emotional energy in AI relationships (as friends, teachers, romantic partners), potentially eroding our empathy for actual humans.

6. Labor Market Disruption:
As general-purpose AI becomes capable of more complex tasks, there is a risk of profound disruption in labor markets, with potential for both job creation and job loss, coupled with wage declines and forced job transitions. The speed of AI’s progress will determine how severe these disruptions are. (My latest conversations with people seem to point to an observation that AI capability is doubling roughly every three months. Compare that with Moore’s Law, which says that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles every eighteen months.)

7. Loss of Human Oversight and Agency:
If AI systems are given more control—such as in governmental decision making—there are concerns about the loss of “ballast” provided by human actors who exercise discretion, judgment, and continuity. This could increase the risk of abrupt or potentially harmful changes in how institutions operate. Additionally, the concept of “AI alignment” becomes vital: how can we ensure AI acts in accordance with human intentions, values, and goals, rather than developing its own objectives that might be harmful? Finally the speed at which AI decisions are made could be so great that the normal circuit breakers of human life and experience won’t have time to kick in when things are going off a cliff.

8. Manipulation and Accountability:
Because AI is based on vast, complex datasets and inner workings that are difficult to interpret, it is easy for entities to manipulate AI outputs for personal or political gain without clear accountability. This can be used to subtly shape opinions and behaviors at scale.

9. Cultural and Theological Challenges:
Ongoing conversations are necessary to redefine “identity and community” in an AI-influenced world, as these technologies challenge foundational beliefs about humanity is and who humans are, and what it means to interact, relate, and live meaningfully.

In short, while AI offers the promise of incredible efficiency and new solutions, it raises deep and multifaceted concerns for human behavior, cognition, relationships, and broader social dynamics, highlighting the need for careful oversight, ethical reflection, and societal dialogue.