Illusion of knowledge

The digital age has indeed made access to information effortless, but access without engagement creates only the illusion of knowledge, negligible gesture of cognition.

The Hindu editorial dated 19-02-2026. Lines from The last frontier of thought: will AI kill creativity?

One social media influencer claimed to have been able to "acquire the knowledge" of 100 books at an instant with help of grok summary and supposedly "saved time for other AI mediated learning".

Recently, a study depicted Gen Z being cognitively regressive from Millennials, for the first time in human history.

Every effect has a cause. AI might be a the buzzword, it is tempting to get things done in a flash of a second and reduce your workload, but for what use? To watch reels, become an algorithmic slave? So AI is really saving your time or just squeezing out more of your time to get glued to your screens for nothing? Why do you need such exponential productivity through AI tools? Ever given a thought?

All this reminds me of Soma of the Brave New World. Humans are bound to fall for pleasures, atleast we can strive for choosing our pleasures that are organic and close to our personalities (reading, travelling, writing, acting, music, etc.) and not one-size-fit for all pivoted on external dopamine rushes from screens, notifications and gadgets.

AI and humans both have ability to write i.e. make sentences using letters and words. AI strings them together by recognising patterns but humans write through the synergy of their hearts and minds. We are trained through experiences which are vivid and unique and not some random standardized datasets.

If today, thinking is being outsourced. A day will come when we might also outsource living. Then what will be the point of human life?