Dad's use of Chat GPT driving me nuts

[norahbones]

My dad (65) is obsessed with AI. He uses it for everything. If i chat to him on the phone, and ask him something he doesn't know the answer to, he will look it up and start reading from it like he is speaking from memory, I can just tell. I ask his advice and he will give me an ai answer. Over mundane things. I think his wife is quite into it to, as she is constantly on chat gpt. I messaged him the other day asking whether he preferred his down jacket or a different one he has for winter as I want to get one, and he sent me a response with the pros and cons of each one, with the chat gpt prompt left in. It is constant! I've told him I want to talk to him and value/prefer him and his opinions without the ai, but he just flat out denies using it. Honestly feel like I have lost him to AI. Thoughts? AIBU?

My Aunt is totally obsessed with Chat GPT and I just smile and nod. It’s infuriating but she’s not going to change. I have nothing to suggest but you have my sympathy.

talk to him about things that ai can't answer

Like what?

That generation use AI for cognitive offloading in my extended family. They just can’t be arsed to think about things anymore, or make an effort. I’m pretty sure that it’s going to hasten their demise and misery in their old age if they continue like this (except for those ones that get out and about and have an active social life too).

This would drive me utterly bonkers. I find it so odd when people quote chat gpt even on here instead of formulating their own thoughts. Unless it’s a question like “what’s on at the cinema tonight in Swansea?” or “why has my boiler stopped working?” that’s been asked there’s just no excuse for deferring to the robots.

As to what OP can say to her dad, all I can suggest is cutting in and saying “I don’t care what the internet thinks I want to know what YOU think.” And if that fails then honestly just ending the conversation until he gets the message.

The speed with which older people have become obsessed with AI is baffling and honestly more than a little concerning

Awful isn't it OP. A friend of mine is like this, it's so obvious how he texts now is totally different to before. Perfect grammar and punctuation, all, separated into weird bullet points. He set up a go fund me and i had to tell him he'd left in a bit at the end where it said 'Let me know if you want it more personal, more focused on finances, or more professional and I can do that' 🙄

Also have the same with another friend who's become obsessed with forcing onto us
gifting AI slop in frames.

Options

1. Turn his wifi off and ask him a question.

2. go somewhere with really poor signal and bombard him with questions.

3.Hide his phone and ask questions.

I watched a documentary on Netflix and one of the ex AI coders said he believed it will be the last mistake humanity gets to make.

An older colleague at work is obsessed with Chat GPT, she asks ‘him’ everything.. I find it all very strange, I hate reading AI generated text as it’s so obvious to me, it all reads very similarly & is so repetitive! Then AI photos with all the text, everyone looks so super perfect (except for the fingers) yawnnn..

I’m sorry OP. I mean your Dad must know you can use the internet yourself so why bother asking him. It’s very sad.
How far away do you live from him? Can you ask him in person?

childhood memories, things you shared growing up, family stories.

asking for product recommendations is a reasonably sensible use of AI to be fair to Dad

It’s not even just the older generation. Plenty of people of all ages are obsessed. There was even a thread on here about asking if your Ai knew or could guess your age? People don’t seem to want to think for themselves. Yeah life’s busy but you need to work your brain :

Also at his age he needs to preserve his brain function not getting a computer to do it all for him.

My mother in law died about 10 years ago, and my husband and I were only saying yesterday it's a good thing she was never able to be let loose with AI!

As a 65 year old I can assure you that many of us have absolutely no interest in using AI!

It's bloody tragic. You can't talk to your own dad about his jacket anymore.

When he does it by message I would put his message in chatgpt and ask it for a reply. Send him that, make sure to leave in the prompt or other obvious indicator of ai.

Keep doing that until he gets the hint.

I mean that’s what he’s doing to you, getting you to talk to a machine instead of him. Do it back. Cut out any human thought in the conversation altogether 🙄

She wanted his opinion on which of his two jackets he prefers. Chat GPT doesn't know his preference, so he should've answered it.

Lets not miss any opportunity to have a go at older people. Do you seriously believe that younger people are using it less?

DH is like this and it also drives me crazy. If DC or I ask him a question (particularly in the car) he will bring GPT up through AirPlay. I’m so sick of it, it’s like another family member almost.

‘he sent me a response with the pros and cons of each one, with the chat gpt prompt left in. It is constant! I've told him I want to talk to him and value/prefer him and his opinions without the ai, but he just flat out denies using it.’

if you say er dad you’ve literally left the ChatGPT prompt in?? What does he say?

My elderly neighbour uses it for 'confirming' conspiracy theories and his pursuit of a woman, but can't use it to do anything useful like his car insurance, buying on Amazon etc and is constantly asking for me to do that! 🤔

What? Is this a phenomenon you only observe in older people? I'm seeing it in university students and even children. For sure it's a bad thing, but it's everywhere.

I would try to talk to your father about how his use of AI is likely to affect his cognitive abilities. He is at the exact sort of age where you want to make sure you are challenged intellectually and doing activities and hobbies that provide your brain with plenty of stimulation and exercise. AI does the opposite.

It is disturbing how much it has crept into people’s lives, particularly those who humanise it. The dating thread in relationships is quite disturbing with many posters analysing their dates and so on through AI and saying things like ‘She’s told me I need to do XYZ’…

...and what might that be?