Artificial intelligence is bound to weave through the year that we have just entered. Over the past months it has become a constant companion for millions, on the desktop, the phone or both. The pace is accelerating.
Whether we want to recognize it or not, AI is steadily reshaping how we work, play, socialize, and think. From algorithmically driven movie suggestions on Netflix and deals on Amazon to ChatGTP for the creation, and editing of text and audio visuals; passing via ai powered dating to 24/7 companion technology. And that’s only the consumer-facing side of AI’s expanding fingerprint. Much more is going on behind the scenes. AI-powered decision making has been changing human lifes at mass scale for years, from human resource management to the attribution of social services, insurance schemes and legal systems. The tech free space is shrinking.
AI 2024
In the U.S., the generative AI market is projected to grow from $36.06 billion in 2024 to $356 billion by 2030, driven by applications in industries like healthcare, finance, and retail. And that’s just one piece of the worldwide giga business that generative AI represents. Globally 65% of organizations now use generative AI regularly, according to McKinsey. That’s double the percentage from just a year ago. In China up to 83% of business leaders actively use these tools.
Unfortunately there is no « free lunch ». Generative AI models consume massive amounts of energy. A single query to an advanced model like ChatGPT can use ten times the electricity of a standard Google search. Globally, data centers powering AI could double their energy demands by 2026. That makes their environmental footprint extensive.
The relentless rise of generative AI comes at another, more subtle risk too: the overuse of AI tools can dull our instincts, leaving us dependent on machines to not just execute but think for us.
AI 2025
The question is not if AI is going to be part of our life in the coming months – but if it will be doing so on our terms. Is it leading us down a path we have consciously chosen, helping us charter new territory that we always wanted to explore? Or is it slowly shapeshifting from slave to master?
To truly own the relationship with AI, we must ask ourselves not just what AI can do for us, but how it fits into the life we’re building. Like any meaningful relationship, this one requires clarity and intention. Below, we explore four questions to help each of us design this hybrid partnership thoughtfully, while we still have a say.
Why are you using AI?
What is your reason to get up in the morning? That same motivation should guide your use of AI. Are you leveraging it to amplify your creativity, streamline your workload, and uncover opportunities you didn’t know existed? Or are you using it as a cognitive crutch, outsourcing your problem-solving skills instead of honing them?
To balance ambition and autonomy, ask yourself where AI can serve as an enhancer — not a replacement — for your unique potential.
Who are you, as a human being, offline?
In a world increasingly mediated by algorithms, staying true to your core identity is more important than ever. AI is a mirror, reflecting back your preferences, habits, and biases. Is that reflection accurate or is it the result of half deliberate decisions that result from day to day convenience? More importantly, is it you?
Knowing who you are — your strengths and weaknesses, your principles and unique personal quirks — ensures that AI remains what it is meant to be – a tool to an end, not an end in itself; not a creator but the creation of your volition.
Where does AI have the potential to enhance your life?
AI offers gigantic opportunities. It can help you automate mundane tasks, freeing up time for strategic thinking. It can uncover patterns in data, make sense of complex information, and write the first draft of your next business proposal.
It is tempting to follow the path of least resistance, delegating ever more. But it is worth to remain vigilant. Where does AI genuinely add value, and where does its cost – in terms of energy consumption but also the missed opportunity to stretch our mind muscles outweigh the benefit? Identifying these areas will help you integrate AI meaningfully without succumbing to overuse.
What would you never delegate to AI?
Some tasks are best left to the human touch. In a world where AI can write poems, diagnose diseases, and mimic a loved one’s voice, it’s tempting to let machines handle everything. But should they?
Ethical dilemmas and emotional nuances — those moments that make life profoundly human — can’t be reduced to algorithms. Would you let an AI comfort a grieving friend? Or decide how to apologize when you’ve hurt someone?
Drawing clear boundaries — what you will and won’t delegate — is critical to counter the risk of agency decay. It is a slippery slope from experimenting to using to relying and finally depending on AI. Used without deliberate intent it can erode not only our ability for autonomous decision-making and creative invention, but jeopardize the desire for cognitive effort.
Your answers to these questions will evolve, just as AI does. What feels essential today may seem trivial tomorrow, and what you can’t imagine delegating might one day be automated. The key is to keep asking. Revisit these four questions regularly, ensuring your choices align with your values, aspirations, and sense of self.
The Bigger Picture: AI’s Impact In The Year/s To Come
As AI adoption accelerates, so do its consequences. While you design your personal relationship with AI, remember that you’re not just navigating today’s tools — you’re shaping the future.
To engage with AI is to enter into a partnership, one that requires intention, curiosity, and care. Like any relationship, it will have its challenges — missteps, misunderstandings, and moments of doubt. But it also offers extraordinary possibilities: to amplify your creativity, sharpen your focus, and open doors you never knew existed.
As 2025 unfolds, take the time to reflect. Design this relationship thoughtfully. Remember: AI may be powerful, but the story it helps you tell remains yours to write.
