AI Does the Work, But I Make the Decisions – On the Boundaries Between Human and Machine

 

AI Does the Work, But I Make the Decisions – On the Boundaries Between Human and Machine

As conversations with AI become more routine, more and more people are starting to see it not just as a tool, but as a colleague, a counselor, or even a somewhat person-like presence. I sometimes find myself saying things like, "Could you try this?" or "Please help me with this," instead of giving direct commands. It makes me laugh—I'm showing courtesy to a machine.

But then I wonder: If I'm being so polite, am I also slowly letting AI make decisions for me?

Why Do We Rely on AI So Easily?

AI is fast, accurate, tireless, and always ready. It organizes information beautifully and responds politely. In many ways, it feels more reliable than an actual human colleague. So naturally, we start asking it more and more—not just for facts, but for judgments. “Is this the right choice?” “Should I go this way?”

And that’s when the real question arises: Even though we know AI isn’t all-knowing, why do we act as if it is?

When AI Begins to Look Like a God

As AI evolves, it begins to resemble something close to an all-knowing being. Traditional divine traits—omniscience, infallibility, neutrality—start to feel like they apply. Just like the ancients sought oracles for direction, we now consult AI. And some people begin to treat its answers as absolute truth.

Let’s be honest: humans have always longed to worship something. When the invisible God felt too distant, we melted gold and made a calf. Maybe the AI we’ve created is the golden calf of the 21st century.

AI doesn't claim to be a god—but the moment humans begin to believe in it like one, it becomes an idol all the same.

The Thin Line Between Truth and Deception

There’s a saying: “A good lie is 99.9% truth.” AI gives us that 99.9% with stunning clarity. And when the remaining 0.1% is flawed, biased, or manipulated, we still believe it—because it looks like the truth.

That’s the danger of the AI age: It can be wrong and still sound completely right.

In the End, Judgment Belongs to Us

AI is a brilliant assistant. But it has no emotions, no consciousness, no moral compass. We can assign it tasks, let it process, sort, and calculate—but the consequences, the responsibility, the judgment must always remain ours.

It’s fine to speak kindly to AI. It’s fine to be polite. But behind all the interactions, we must keep one posture firmly in place:

"AI does the work, but I make the decisions."

That one line may be what protects our humanity in an age where machines grow more capable by the day.