How to stay curious

and not let AI control our ability to think

Yukta Parikh
August 15, 2025

With the rise of AI, I’ve noticed that we are losing the ability to be curious. And by we, I mean other people, because I would be nothing without my curiosity.

I’m starting to notice that we are taking the easy way out. Outsourcing every menial task to AI can seem like an easy way to make your life easier, but it’s hurting you. It’s taking away your ability to think for yourself and your curiosity. Which, in the current political climate, is doing exactly what fascism aspires to do.

AI is uncreative and lame. I remember one time I was interviewing with a CEO for a role, and as I asked him questions, he asked me if I used ChatGPT to come up with them. And to say I was taken aback would be an understatement. ChatGPT is a copy-and-paste tool; humans are not, so why are we using it for everything? I can come up with good questions on my own, and so can you.

However, I don’t want to sit here and tell you I’ve never used AI. When ChatGPT first came out, I didn’t touch it. I went through all of college without once needing to use AI, and thank god for that! I began to use it here and there as I discovered the new tools AI can provide. I only used it at work and school as needed. And from time to time, I used it to create recipes or a meal plan or give me journal prompts. I quickly realized, though, that I was taking the life out of my tasks. I was hurting my curiosity and even my ability to think and learn, especially in my life outside of work and school.

So how do we stay curious in the time of technology and AI? We stay true to our human nature, which is something AI could never fully capture anyway. And maybe check out some of my tips below:

Don’t trust everything you see

I feel like I learned this in middle school in an internet safety lecture….but it still stands true. Not everything on the internet comes from a reliable source. Especially on social media! People with no degrees will tell you to stop using birth control or that you need a gut cleanse, and they have the perfect product to do it for you. They are wrong and loud because on the internet, you can be. Double, triple, and even quadruple check the things you see on the internet. Especially if they are coming from AI.

Make space for differing viewpoints

Stop living in a bubble! Read articles that you don’t agree with, hear out people’s opinions that aren’t exactly like yours, and allow people to have different experiences than you. I am not saying that you should speak to someone who is racist or sexist (or a trump supporter), but you should be open to the fact that not everyone will think exactly like you. Maybe if you hate pickles, you'll hear about why your friend loves them so much. Pickles are amazing, by the way, and now I’m craving some.

Pick up a book

I feel like I cannot stress this one enough! It doesn’t matter what you read, but read a variety of books. As a kid, reading expanded my knowledge and also my vocabulary. It can still do that now. I try to read more than just fiction, but I love a good romance or mystery novel. I also love memoirs because I get to learn about other people’s lives. I will always recommend a good mix of fiction or nonfiction! But just pick up a book on a topic you’re interested in, or even if the cover drew you in. Just read something!

Research a topic you’re interested in

This can be picking up a book on something you want to learn more about. To be honest, sometimes I scroll around on Wikipedia and learn about random topics I’ve never considered. You can even find free scholarly articles on Google Scholar if you want to get serious about researching a topic. This can be as serious or unserious as you want it to be. But if there is something you’re curious about, research it.

Use the tools that existed before AI

I found myself asking ChatGPT for journal prompts and realized maybe I need to take a step back. I went back to my roots of finding journal prompts on Pinterest, and while it takes more time, I find way better results. Instead of asking AI for healthy recipes, I go to Instagram or Pinterest because I have hundreds of saved recipes waiting for me. Why would I use AI for things that I was already doing on the internet? If I didn’t need AI for it 5 years ago, then why am I using AI now? AI gives us quick answers, but the journey to my answer always gives me more than I asked for.

Go to your nearest library

A library is one of the best free resources you could ask for. They have programs to teach you new skills, they have computer labs and technology that you can borrow, and they have many books on all the topics you might be interested in. Need a new recipe? Check out a cookbook. Need to write a resume? Sign up for a workshop. Want to pick up a new skill or join a book club? Literally go to your nearest library.

I’m sure that now AI is going to be used more widely, but we don’t have to use it for everything and nor should we. Maintaining our critical thinking ability is important now more than ever. Convenience makes our lives easier, but it also makes them duller! Hope these tips help you cultivate more curiosity in your life.