08/14/2026
The Internet and AI
AI is not necessarily “smarter” than people; that is a false marketing tactic. Its strength is its ability to process and synthesize enormous amounts of information far faster than a person can. When connected to the internet, it can also quickly find and evaluate information from a wide range of sources.
The problem is that the internet contains information supporting almost every viewpoint on almost any subject. When someone asks/prompts AI a question while framing it around a particular belief or perspective, the way the question is worded can influence the response. AI will present information and arguments that support that perspective, even when there is substantial evidence that contradicts it.
If the same person asks the question again from an opposing viewpoint, they will receive an entirely different set of arguments supporting that position. Both responses can sound convincing, which can create the false impression that whichever answer supports their original belief must be correct.
That is why the way we prompt AI matters. Instead of asking it to confirm a viewpoint, we should ask it to evaluate the claim objectively, identify supporting and contradictory evidence, point out inaccuracies, and correct our assumptions when they are wrong.
AI should be used to challenge our thinking, not simply to confirm what we already believe.
Be extremely conscious about how it is prompted.
