Many years ago, I wrote a rather humorous article entitled Me, Myself and I. Recently, while looking through some old journals, I came across it again. It made me smile and think about how the world in which I first wrote those words has changed beyond recognition. Today, it almost feels as though another participant has quietly joined the conversation so collectively we have in fact seemed to have become, Me, Myself and AI.
I never imagined I would one day write about artificial intelligence. In fact, as the idea grew in my mind, I still hesitated because AI does not feature naturally in my lifestyle. In fact I enjoy mostly reflections on literature, memory, the changing seasons of life and the quiet landscape of the human heart, mind and soul.
However, our historical archives are a clear record of the fact that every generation of writers has encountered new tools that changed the way they researched, communicated or created. Examples of these changes include:
- The printing press changed books.
- The typewriter changed writing.
- The internet changed research.
Artificial intelligence is simply the latest in a series of overwhelming changes. Whether we choose to embrace it, question it or proceed with caution, it has become part of the landscape in which we think and write. Ignoring it entirely would feel as incomplete as accepting it without reflection.
Ultimately the responsibility of using AI never leaves us and that, for me, is the most important ethical question. My focus was not the “Can AI write?” because I am a writer and I did not need it for that purpose. But my deeper more profound curiosity was:
“Who remains responsible for what is written?”
The quality of what emerges depends greatly on the quality of the questions we ask, the guidance we provide, the judgement we exercise and the willingness to challenge what is placed before us. AI can suggest, organise, question and refine, but it cannot replace discernment. It cannot borrow our life experiences, understand our deepest values or carry responsibility for the decisions we ultimately make. That responsibility remains firmly with us.
AI as we know it and understand it cannot be a substitute for the human experience. Our lives, relationships, struggles, joys and values remain uniquely our own. AI may join the conversation as a thoughtful companion, helping us organise ideas, explore possibilities and examine different perspectives, but it cannot live our lives, make our choices or carry the responsibility for them. The experiences that shape us, and the wisdom we draw from them, remain deeply and unmistakably human.
Perhaps that is where the real ethical question begins. The question is not simply whether we use AI. The more important question is how we use it. Do we surrender our thinking to it, or do we use it to sharpen our thinking? Do we accept its answers uncritically, or do we challenge AI through the process of questioning, verifying and refining? Do we allow convenience to replace wisdom, or do we remain active participants in the creative process?
These questions reach far beyond writing. They touch education, creativity, work, relationships and the way we approach knowledge itself. Ultimately, every decision still belongs to a human being. AI cannot sign its name beneath a piece of writing with genuine accountability. It cannot accept praise, criticism or moral responsibility for the words it has helped shape. Only the author can.
That in itself is both reassuring and challenging. Reassuring because our humanity remains irreplaceable. Challenging because it reminds us that we cannot outsource integrity. Perhaps this is the conversation that matters most. Not whether artificial intelligence will become more capable but whether we will continue to cultivate wisdom, discernment and responsibility alongside it.
Coming back to my initial human reflection, many years ago, Me, Myself and I reflected a conversation within myself. Today, Me, Myself and AI reflects a conversation between the self, the world we now inhabit and one of the most remarkable tools of our generation. Technology may continue to evolve but ultimately, our responsibility as human beings remains the same.
This AI reflection has raised more questions than it has answered, and perhaps that is exactly as it should be. I hope to continue exploring these questions through a series of reflections on AI and the human experience. Topics such as responsibility, ethics, discernment, creativity, wisdom and authenticity all deserve thoughtful consideration. My aim is not to provide definitive answers, but to contribute respectfully to a conversation that is only just beginning.
AI Reflections – A series exploring the human experience in the age of Artificial Intelligence.
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Shabnam Khan 