35-year-old: Well, hello there young me. It’s pretty surreal getting to chat with my teenage self like this. How’s it going?
15-year-old: Hey. Yeah, this is crazy, talking to an older version of me. It’s going fine I guess. Just trying to figure out this AI stuff.
35-year-old: Ah yes, you’ve started playing around with AI in the early days, right? I remember it well. Such a fascinating time, with new capabilities emerging. How are you finding it so far?
15-year-old: It’s pretty cool I guess? The AI art and music tools are insane – I can create stuff I never could before by just typing prompts. The chatbots seem so advanced too, I can have conversations about anything. It’s like having a whole world of creativity and information at my fingertips. Pretty wild.
35-year-old: For sure, it really did feel limitless back then. Every day there were new forms of AI that could mimic human creativity in some way. But over time, I realized there could also be some downsides. Did you notice any negatives yet in your exploration?
15-year-old: Hmm, I mean it’s all new to me, so I’m still just kinda having fun with it. But I guess one thing is it makes a lot of creative stuff like art and music feel… easier? More passive I guess? Instead of learning to draw or produce music, I can just type a prompt. So maybe I’m not developing real skills as much? I dunno.
35-year-old: That’s a really insightful observation actually. In my experience, relying too much on AI for certain creative tasks can hinder developing your own talents with practice. The tech makes it so easy to generate decent output, we can lose motivation to truly master creative skills.
15-year-old: Yeah, that makes sense. I do kind of just sit around generating weird AI art and songs instead of learning to create stuff myself. It’s easy instant gratification I guess. But you’re saying that could be bad long term?
35-year-old: I found it stunted my own growth and satisfaction in some ways. Now, AI art tools are amazing to augment human creativity. But depending on them too much can make you passive. My advice – use AI as a fun supplement, but stay dedicated to honing your innate creative gifts too. A balance is ideal.
15-year-old: That’s helpful, thanks. Balance makes sense. What about how I use AI for school though? Like ChatGPT has been a game changer for writing essays quickly.
35-year-old: Ah yes, I remember exploiting those chatbots early on too. Felt like I unlocked easy As for a while there! But I regret falling into that trap now. The problem is, by relying on AI to do your homework, you don’t actually retain information or learn critical thinking skills needed for the future. It’s cheating yourself in the long run.
15-year-old: Hmm yeah, I do just ask ChatGPT for essays instead of doing the actual reading and writing. I guess I’m not really learning then, just completing assignments. That could screw me over down the road. But it’s so hard not to use it when it’s right there, you know?
35-year-old: Trust me, I know the temptation all too well! But it helped me in the long run to intentionally make a rule not to outsource homework assignments to AI. Use it as a tutor to enhance your understanding sure, but don’t let it replace doing the work itself. The knowledge payoff is so worth it.
15-year-old: Rules and self-control – man, you really have become an old fogey! But no, that’s solid advice. Maybe I set limits on asking ChatGPT for full essay answers or something. Thanks for looking out for young me. Anything else I should know?
35-year-old: Ha, well a few more gray hairs and wrinkles will do that! One other area to be mindful of is social media. I know at your age it feels all-important for popularity and self-esteem. The AI tools provide amazing leverage for creating viral content. But it’s also easy to end up comparing yourself to curated feeds, seeking external validation through likes. Just remember to nurture your inner self outside of algorithms too. Does any of that ring true currently?
15-year-old: Definitely. I spend so much time trying to get content to go viral and obsessing over likes. The AI art and music definitely helps create more engaging posts. But you’re right, I’m kinda just chasing external validation vs developing my own skills and self-worth. I know social media isn’t everything, but it’s hard to pull back when it feels so critical at this age.
35-year-old: No doubt, it’s ubiquitous in your generation. My advice – enjoy social media, use AI tools to enhance it even, but don’t let it dominate your sense of identity and esteem. Connect more with real people and passions offline. Your inner life matters most. Anything you want to ask your older wiser self before we wrap up?
15-year-old: This has been really helpful. Makes me think more about how I use AI proactively vs just abusing it as a crutch. One question – does life get less awkward? Like I care so much what people think of me now. That ever change?
35-year-old: Life always has some awkwardness, it’s part of being human! But yes, as you age you tend to become more self-assured and care less about others’ opinions. You realize chasing approval or popularity doesn’t lead to fulfillment. Just focus on being yourself. The right people will appreciate you.
15-year-old: Okay, that’s reassuring at least! Last question – any advice for me in general? You have the benefit of hindsight now, so anything you’d tell your 15-year-old self?
35-year-old: I’d say be kind to yourself. You’ll make mistakes but learn from them. Savor the present more; youth passes quicker than you realize. Develop your interests and skills now; compounding pays off. And keep perspective – most issues feel bigger than they really are. You’ve got so much potential within you. Just take it day by day and enjoy the ride.
15-year-old: Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences. This was super helpful to get an older perspective on both the pros and cons of AI. I have a better grasp now on how to use it as a tool, while still developing my own skills and self-worth too. Lots of good wisdom all around that I’ll try to remember as life goes on. Nice chatting with you future me!
35-year-old: My pleasure! I know how confusing and exciting the AI boom was. Learn from my mistakes but keep your own vision too. Proud of who you’ll become. Take care young me, and thanks for the trip down memory lane!