Human Touch vs. AI on 7 Cups Learning and Development
Here on 7 Cups, we value genuine connection. The human touch is what primarily sets us apart from other platforms. While AI tools are very helpful, it's important to remember the power of expressing ourselves authentically. Your tone and style are uniquely you, and that can be lost through overuse of AI for writing. AI, as a general rule, should be used as a supplement to your writing, not a complete replacement.
For example, we offer JIIT (just-in-time training) via Noni tips for chats. We all get stuck sometimes (even me!). People are dynamic, and situations vary. We believe AI can provide helpful nudges and inspiration.
I bring this up here in the 7 Cups Leadership community specifically to address concerns about AI use in learning, training, and testing.
Relying on AI to do all the work for you will hinder personal growth, reduce critical thinking skills, and can make information harder to absorb and retain. This is true for our Active Listening Tests, the Academy courses, and most of our leadership roles. Cutting corners might be tempting, but it's not beneficial for your long-term development.
I've heard some teams encounter instances in which they suspect excessive AI usage at the cost of quality. Team leaders, I advise setting the expectation that applicants use their own words as much as possible. You might even consider establishing this in your training materials.
There's no denying that AI is fast becoming a normalized part of our world, but like anything else, it should be used in moderation, as a tool and not a crutch.
Do you have tips for striking a balance with AI to get the most out of it?
I find that AI is usually present to perform something a human does not want to learn. Don’t want to learn how to write? NovelAI. Don’t want to learn how to draw? ArtFlow. Don’t want to learn how to talk to people? Kindroid. However. These systems are trained on data gathered from human sources. They have to learn it from somewhere. Where, exactly? Books.
I feel that reading about psychology and philosophy has helped me as a Listener. Taking notes, making flash cards for those notes, and reviewing them on a regular basis has enabled me to retain what I have learned. This has helped structure open-ended questions for those who I listen to. I could probably do better, and I intend to.
In the beginning, I was afraid I would accidentally say something that would hurt someone while they were vulnerable. I personally did not use Noni as I found its suggestions to be lacking. I was on my own. I had to accept that I will indeed hurt someone at some point. That is inevitable. Given enough time, we will even accidentally hurt those we love. I am not looking forward to this situation as I am here to help. I can’t let that fear get in the way of anyone I could possibly assist. I can’t be afraid to fail.
Finally, I believe Listeners who rely heavily on Noni might consider asking themselves three questions to reflect on their reliance of the chatbot.
1. How is me copy-pasting what the AI says any different than the user talking to the AI?
2. What can I do to ensure I am able to help a member with minimal assistance from Noni?
3. What am I ultimately trying to achieve through volunteering on this site?