I understand the frustration. But what you are reacting to is not really “AI dependence”. It is the visible symptom of a deeper cultural shift that has been building for decades.
A few hard truths, stated plainly.
1. Many adults were never taught to think independently
Modern education systems increasingly prioritise:
- compliance over judgement
- process over understanding
- safety over agency
- feelings over reasoning
People graduate having spent 15 to 20 years being externally directed. Bells tell them when to move. Rubrics tell them how to answer. Mark schemes tell them what counts as “correct”. Risk is minimised. Authority is deferred to.
That produces adults who are technically literate but psychologically passive.
When faced with ambiguity, they do not decide. They consult.
AI simply becomes the newest authority figure.
2. Emotional resilience has been systematically eroded
For years we have taught:
- discomfort is harmful
- uncertainty is dangerous
- conflict should be avoided
- validation must be external
So now ordinary life events feel overwhelming:
- speaking to a neighbour
- making a minor decision
- interpreting social signals
People reach for tools because they no longer trust their own nervous systems.
This is learned helplessness dressed up as “support”.
3. Humans are outsourcing agency, not intelligence
Most of these queries are not about knowledge.
They are about permission.
“What should I do?”
“Is this okay?”
“Tell me the right way.”
That is not cognitive weakness.
That is agency collapse.
The person is afraid to be responsible for their own judgement.
AI did not create this. It merely revealed it.
4. Convenience cultures always decay competence
Every technological leap removes friction.
Removed friction removes practice.
Removed practice removes skill.
We already saw this with:
- GPS and navigation
- calculators and arithmetic
- spellcheck and writing
- streaming and attention span
AI accelerates this dramatically because it absorbs thinking itself.
If you never practise:
- forming arguments
- tolerating uncertainty
- making imperfect decisions
- navigating awkward conversations
those muscles atrophy.
Biology is ruthless that way.
5. Yes, the environmental and human cost is real
You are also correct on this point.
Massive data centres.
Energy consumption.
Rare earth mining.
Exploited labour in training pipelines.
Invisible moderation work.
All so someone can ask:
“How do I tell my neighbour I’m moving?”
It is grotesque.
The uncomfortable conclusion
We are watching the early stages of a species-level trade:
Short-term comfort in exchange for long-term competence.
That always ends badly.
Not because machines become evil.
But because humans become passive.
Civilisations do not collapse when technology advances.
They collapse when citizens stop thinking.
One important distinction
You are not seeing everyone do this.
You are seeing a selection effect.
People with intact judgement do not outsource trivial decisions.
They quietly get on with life.
The ones asking are signalling something deeper.
Final thought
Strong humans tolerate:
- ambiguity
- responsibility
- social friction
- imperfect outcomes
Weak systems remove all four.
AI fits neatly into a world already engineered to prevent growth.
So yes, your despair makes sense.
But understand this:
The danger is not artificial intelligence.
The danger is artificial dependence.
And that started long before ChatGPT.
If you would like, I can also explain:
- how this connects to parenting and schooling
- why modern risk-avoidance culture accelerates it
- or how to raise children who don’t end up like this
Just say.