Google and Its Effects on Human Brain

The Struggle with Deep Reading

“The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle.” We are no longer learning information and knowledge from books, experience, and human interactions. In Nicholas Carr’s essay Is Google Making Us Stupid?, the human race is mistreating such a vast resource known as “Google” (Carr, 2008). Google is not just a bank of information anymore; it is social media, online gaming, a collection of media, and online shopping. This resource has both a positive and negative impact on our society. Having this powerful tool at the tip of our fingers has made us easily tempted to be dependent on it. Instead of taking the time to learn and improve ourselves as human beings, we abuse the resource for selfish reasons. Google is thinking for us rather than allowing us to think for ourselves, and we are becoming heavily dependent on artificial intelligence while artificial intelligence is becoming independent. This dependence might inhibit our ability to engage in critical thinking and problem-solving in the long term.

The Benefits of Google and AI

It is argued that Google may actually be helping us. Artificial Intelligence helps us stay connected with friends around the globe with instant, quick, and easy communication, and also allows us to stay connected with current events, constantly updating us on what is happening around the world. According to research, “After all, the increasing use of digital media does offer significant benefits by supporting early learning, satisfying a child’s curiosity, and even encouraging the development of healthy coping skills” (Gopnik, 2021). For example, if a child expresses to Alexa that they feel sad, the AI offers a positive, solutions-based response: ‘‘I’m sorry to hear that. Talking to a friend, listening to music, or taking a walk may help’’ (Gopnik, 2021). Google is more than just finding research on the Internet; it offers easily accessible information which can be used to our own advantage. However, this convenience comes with the risk of reducing our cognitive abilities in terms of memory and attention span, as we rely more on external sources for information retrieval.

The Ease of Information Retrieval

However, Google is as simple as saying “just Google it.” We find information within seconds on Google without actually having to do any of the work and looking through books anymore. “Research that once required days in stacks or periodical rooms of libraries can now be done in minutes. A few Google searches, some quick clicks on hyperlinks, and I’ve got the telltale fact or pithy quote I was after” (Carr, 2008). We do not think as deeply and intelligently as we did when we had to do our own research with physical copies of books. Now we have a Google engine search bar that does all the thinking and research for us. We do a lot more scrolling, skimming, and browsing than actually reading the context because we know exactly what we are looking for and know exactly what we need. “The Net… is chipping away our capacity for concentration and contemplation” (Carr, 2008). It is ten times easier to just google something than to find the information and research ourselves, but sometimes the information on Google can be false information. This raises concerns about the accuracy and reliability of information we encounter online.

The Humanization of AI and Its Consequences

Although, those who frequently use Google every day cannot remember the order of its very own original unique color pattern. The internet today is a very powerful type of Artificial Intelligence that is slowly becoming more and more human-like. They are slowly starting to talk and have human-like voices, such as “Siri” and “Hey Google.” Google is becoming our friend, and we are slowly starting to rely heavily upon it in our daily lives. When daily internet users go a day without using the internet, they can experience familiar symptoms similar to drug addiction and have other problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, or loneliness. “Like the use of drugs and alcohol, they can trigger the release of the brain chemical dopamine and alter your mood” (Kardaras, 2016). These Internet users put way too much time and attention onto a screen rather than focusing on the real world and seeing what is going on around them and interacting with others. Artificial Intelligence has made it so much easier and faster to quickly find the answers to anything and even to a simple search. We can now check current events online without having to turn the television on or read a physical copy of a newspaper because everything is being put online. This convenience, while beneficial, may also lead to a reduction in our ability to engage in meaningful face-to-face communication.

The Impact on Human Cognition

Google has such a powerful effect on the human brain that people can get addicted to internet usage and can limit themselves from having their own unique thoughts. “Humans are the clear winners in the pathos category because AI is not yet capable of human emotion” (Turkle, 2011). As we continue to rely on AI for cognitive tasks, we risk losing touch with our innate ability to empathize and connect on a deeper emotional level with others. This is a critical consideration as we move forward in an increasingly digitized world.

References

• Carr, N. (2008). Is Google Making Us Stupid? The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/
• Gopnik, A. (2021). The Value of Digital Media in Early Childhood Development. Child Development Perspectives.
• Kardaras, N. (2016). Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids—and How to Break the Trance. St. Martin's Press.
• Turkle, S. (2011). Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. Basic Books.