"I Lived 48 Hours... Without Artificial Intelligence"

SadaNews - When I decided to live without artificial intelligence for 48 hours, I expected it to affect some aspects of my daily routine. I knew I wouldn't be able to watch the documentaries recommended by Netflix, or read the marketing emails written by robots, for example. That's something I could live with, as A.J. Jacobs wrote.

What I didn't expect was that my attempt to avoid all interactions with artificial intelligence and machine learning would affect nearly every aspect of my life—what I eat, what I wear, and how I get around.

Artificial Intelligence in Our Lives

I undertook this experiment to see for myself how pervasive artificial intelligence is in our daily lives. Most people are aware that it fills our social media feeds with targeted ads, and powers chatbots on flight booking sites. I wanted to identify all the AI lurking before our eyes, and see how life would be without it. So, I would spend two days as someone who doesn't use artificial intelligence.

During my research on the topic, I encountered vastly conflicting opinions. Is artificial intelligence overhyped, just glorified spell-check, as some insisted in my interviews? Or is it the greatest invention since fire (even greater than fire, as it will replace humans), as others claimed?

Does it rob us of our freedom of choice by forcing us to obey biased algorithms? Or does it enhance our lives in simple ways, as argued by Garrett Winther, Chief Product Officer at venture capital firm New Lab?

Winther told me, "People think AI is scary, but it actually improves our lives in ways we don’t notice, allowing us to breathe easier. Literally." He pointed to a recent AI program in New York that used this technology to monitor the air for any unusual phenomena, such as methane leaks.

Generative AI and Machine Learning

Before starting my experiment on a random Monday in October, I had to answer a fundamental question: How do I define artificial intelligence?

Many associate the term with generative AI, which emerged suddenly in 2022. This technology produces academic English research papers, and creates images of smiling customers for soda ads.

But the umbrella of artificial intelligence also includes other types of programs capable of learning and evolving—including machine learning, which has become widespread since the early 2000s. Machine learning programs update themselves or their predictions based on new data. So, when the Waze mapping app finds you a shortcut to your parents' house, you can thank machine learning.

To be free from AI, I decided to avoid both generative AI and machine learning. I would be strict.

The Beginning - A Non-Functional Phone

From the moment I woke up in my New York apartment on the first day, I realized that AI’s pervasiveness is overwhelming. While still in bed, I automatically reached for my iPhone to hold it in front of my face and unlock the screen. But no. The facial recognition technology works with AI... and I entered my passcode as if we were in 2017.

What could I do with my phone now that it was unlocked? Not much. No Facebook, no Instagram: social media feeds are dictated by AI and are filled with ads generated by it. What about podcasts? No. Many podcasts use AI editing programs to remove "ums" and awkward silences.

Should I check the news? According to a 2024 survey by the Associated Press, 70% of journalists reported that their organizations use generative AI tools for research or other purposes. I would cut myself off from current events, which could be a nice extra benefit.

Checking my email was also not acceptable, as Gmail uses machine learning to filter out spam. So, I put my iPhone in a drawer.

In fact, almost everything in our lives is affected by generative AI and machine learning—whether in its design, manufacturing, marketing, or shipping. The question is no longer whether these new technologies influence something, but rather to what extent.

I decided to evaluate everything in my life on a scale from 1 to 10. If something owes its entire existence to AI or machine learning, like the spam emails filling my inbox, it gets a 10.

What about the tree outside my window? The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation uses vehicles equipped with scanning devices to conduct a tree census supported by an AI application that tracks the health of over 600,000 trees on city sidewalks. So, the maple tree in my neighborhood has been affected by AI but only slightly. It received a score of just 1 out of 10.

Getting Around Outside

I usually check the weather on my phone before leaving the apartment. But weather apps use machine learning data. So, I resorted to a traditional method—I stuck my hand out the window. The temperature was about 21 degrees Celsius, and I didn’t need a jacket, although I took an umbrella with me because I didn’t know if it would rain.

To go to a restaurant to meet my colleagues, using Uber and Lyft was off-limits, as they use AI for pricing, ordering, and scheduling. What about hailing a cab? The same goes for that. Car manufacturers use AI to design spare parts, and more than half of modern cars have machine learning features, like sensors that alert you when you drift into another lane.

I considered the subway. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority uses AI-powered programs to monitor fare evasion patterns. And the electronic signs above the platforms—that indicate the next train is five minutes away—are coded with the help of generative AI. So, the subway scored a 2 on my scale.

Now, the bicycle might be the safest choice—not the "City Bike" that uses machine learning to predict demand and track bike locations. Instead, I borrowed my son’s bike from our building’s basement.

Unfortunately, I was likely to commit a number of violations on my trip. The New York City Department of Transportation uses machine learning to analyze traffic and pedestrian flow.

A Restaurant Without Technology

Finally, I arrived at my destination. I explained to my colleagues that I was trying to avoid interacting with AI, but I noticed a man nearby wearing "AirPods" whose newest version Pro3 includes an AI feature that translates languages in real time... How do I pay for my food? That was confusing. Credit card companies use AI to detect fraudulent activity, as does the ATM from which I withdraw my cash.

"I thought cash would rank lower on the AI scale than credit cards, so I paid with twenty-dollar bills.

One of my colleagues said, "Let’s take a selfie before we leave." I said, "I don't think I should do that," because smartphone cameras use AI to determine focus and how to adjust lighting. But I was prepared, carrying an old, foldable Kodak camera in my bag.

And the next day I suffered what I suffered... I spent the last hours of my experience trying to write this article. I couldn’t use my MacBook Pro because it is loaded with machine learning features, including a trackpad trained to ignore accidental touches.

Writing the Article

I started working on a typewriter I purchased days earlier. I loved the clicking sound, but the ink was on the ribbon. I then moved to using pen and paper, despite my concern that the manufacturers of these simple writing tools are among the 51% of companies that use AI in hiring, according to a survey by Resume Builders. And since my solar-powered device had run out of battery, I wrote by candlelight. It was somewhat cozy.

I reviewed the notes I printed before starting my experiment. And here I must admit: some of my research came from ChatGPT, as I am part of the majority of journalists whose work has been changed by AI. I asked it questions like, "How does the Parks Department use AI?" which led me to the tree census, on one hand.

So how do I feel about these last few hours? I feel a bit anxious about how pervasive AI is. I crave more transparency. It seems important to know when an image or email is generated by AI. And I want more control over the algorithms affecting my life.

I am also less certain about what the world will look like in five years, but I am more certain that AI will become increasingly integrated into our daily lives.