Do Your Own Thinking — Even With AI Around

AI is amazing at giving answers. But your own thinking is what builds your brain, your character, your unique perspective. Use AI — but also do your own thinking.

Some examples

• Try to solve hard problems yourself before asking AI.
• Form your own opinions before asking AI for theirs.
• Read books carefully — do not just summarize with AI.
• Sit with hard feelings — do not just chat them out with AI.

Try it!

Pick something you would normally ask AI. Try to figure it out yourself first. Notice what you learn from the trying.

Practice this safely

Try this with a low-stakes example and a trusted adult nearby. The goal is to notice how AI talks about independent thinking, not to let it make the decision for you.

1. 1Ask AI to explain independent thinking in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
2. 2Give it one detail from "Do Your Own Thinking — Even With AI Around" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
3. 3Check growth against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.