15/09/2026
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly increasing and becoming more and more mainstream in our daily lives. There are a multitude of programs and applications that utilize this form of technology such as; virtual assistants, learning environments, tasks that can be completed by you and even programs that help you choose products and services. From a psychological perspective AI is not just another innovative piece of technology but also something that can have an impact on human cognitive processes and human behavior and feelings and human relationships.
On the other hand, the support of AI for human intellectual capacity has the potential of being very valuable. The information processing and decision making capacity that AI systems can provide can be very helpful to complete certain tasks. For example, in the educational sector, the tasks of teachers can be supported by AI-powered learning environments that clarify concepts, gather study material, and support students in their reflection. However, these possibilities have the potential of being undermined if in the future people will not have developed sufficient independent thinking, critical reasoning, creativity and problem-solving skills to deal with complex problems in a variety of situations.
The way in which people process information is also influenced by new technologies. In the short term there may be a decrease in cognitive load due to automation of tasks. On the other hand, because of continuous online availability and the variety of programs offered by new technologies, there is also the possibility of information overload because of the large number of notifications that can be sent, as well as the huge amount of online information that needs to be processed by the computer. This all has to be dealt with in a responsible manner.
Many AI applications also support people with information, reminders and even personal support. Thanks to AI, online discussions can also be facilitated by AI programs that enable the exchange of views and share knowledge with others. People with very complex emotional problems are however limited to the support of people with sufficient empathy and a good understanding of human nature. This can be accompanied by professional help where necessary.
Especially children and adolescents are in a phase of life where they are searching for their place in the world, want to develop their social skills, deal with their emotions and want to get to understand the world around them. A lot of new technologies have a positive as well as a negative side. They can offer new learning and creative possibilities, but they can also distract from tasks that need to be accomplished, hinder social contact, and can have a negative influence on a child’s self-perception and on their feelings.
Therefore it is very important for parents as well as for educators of children and adolescents to support the children in appropriate use of new technologies. That is why digital literacy, setting of limits, awareness of online privacy and a responsible use of technology for children and adolescents is very important.
These systems only function as well as the data that has been used to train them, which generally contains human biases. Users of systems that are controlled by AI therefore may wrongly believe that AI generated information is 100% objective. So, it is important for users to possess sufficient digital literacy to critically test the information that is generated by an AI system.
Positive aspects of new technologies in education and psychology should be taken into account when applying them in an adequate manner. This implies setting boundaries and using new technologies in an ethical manner. The new technologies must always be used in a manner that respects human dignity, privacy and autonomy, and the human specific qualities that enable a person to develop in a healthy manner.
From a psychological perspective, the impact of AI can extend to all areas of human life including thoughts, human behavior and feelings as well as human creativity. The possibilities offered by AI are vast, but this technology can only support or even facilitate human life, provided it is not used to undermine human strengths, such as thinking for oneself, feeling, creating and above all, human contact and empathy with other humans.