CTNET

One thing I've added to my quarterly review: a deliberate audit of my AI use.

I ask myself five questions, including: 'Where have I become too reliant on AI?' and 'Am I using AI as a starting point or an endpoint?'

Do you do anything similar to keep your AI use in check? https://www.ctnet.co.uk/protecting-your-mind-from-ai/

#AI #PKM #KnowledgeManagement #Productivity #ArtificialIntelligence

One of the most useful frameworks I've come across for AI use is the System 1/System 2 thinking distinction.

System 1 is autopilot — the things you already know and do without thinking. That's safe to offload to AI.

System 2 is active learning — slow, deliberate, effortful. That's where you shouldn't let AI replace you.

More thoughts in my latest post: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/protecting-your-mind-from-ai/

#AI #PKM #KnowledgeManagement #Learning #ArtificialIntelligence

Part 4 of my AI and cognition series, and finally some good news — this time I'm focusing on what we can do about it.

The first three posts explored the risks. This one is about protecting and even growing your mind while making full use of AI.

#AI #PKM #Zettelkasten #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence

'The ability to think for oneself is a deliberate practice developed by being curious about your own thoughts.'

That line from my latest post on knowledge collapse surprised me when I wrote it. The risk from AI isn't just societal — it's about what we each choose to keep for ourselves.

Final part of the series before we move on to solutions next week: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/ai-knowledge-collapse-risk/

#AI #PKM #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence

Do you think deliberately about protecting your own ability to think independently?

Writing this series has made me realise I wasn't being very intentional about this. I journal regularly — which helps — but I hadn't connected that practice to the bigger picture of cognitive independence.

What does thinking for yourself look like in your day-to-day life?

Read the post and share your thoughts: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/ai-knowledge-collapse-risk/

#AI #PKM #KnowledgeManagement #Cognition

Here's the question that's stuck with me from this post: how can we know whether AI is conscious if we can't even verify that other humans are?

It's the only example of general intelligence we know — and we call it conscious. So what does that tell us about what to look for in artificial intelligence?

Worth sitting with: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/the-sentient-machine-key-takeaways-on-ai-humanity-and-our-future/

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Philosophy #Consciousness #AGI #LLM

The post on knowledge collapse identifies three things we can actually do:

1. Keep some activities AI-free — to preserve cognitive skills and specialist thinking
2. Invest in niche knowledge — the kind AI is most likely to smooth away
3. Push back on AI training on AI-generated data

None of these feel radical. But they all require some deliberate intention.

New post: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/ai-knowledge-collapse-risk/

#AI #PKM #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence

Research shows AI-generated content is narrower than what humans create alone. If AI trains on AI content, the narrowing compounds over time.

This is what researchers call knowledge collapse — the gradual loss of specialist, niche, and unorthodox knowledge from our collective pool.

New post — third in our series on AI and human cognition: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/ai-knowledge-collapse-risk/

#AI #KnowledgeManagement #PKM #ArtificialIntelligence #KnowledgeCollapse

There's a line in this post that I keep coming back to: we have a window to determine our future relationship with AI. But we have no idea how long that window will remain open.

It could be years, decades, or millennia. Either way, the time to start asking the hard questions is now.

If you haven't read this one: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/the-sentient-machine-key-takeaways-on-ai-humanity-and-our-future/

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AGI #Philosophy #Technology #LLM

One of the ideas that stays with me from this post: Yuval Noah Harari argues that language is the operating system of human civilisation. Human language is how we build shared reality — money, laws, culture, politics.

We've now handed AI the key to that OS. Until now, only humans could shape our intersubjective reality.

This post explores what that shift means: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/the-sentient-machine-key-takeaways-on-ai-humanity-and-our-future/

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #LLM #Technology #Philosophy

My recent post got me thinking back to this one — written over a year ago, but the core idea still sits with me.

Amir Husain argues that AI is a mirror to humanity. Before AGI arrives, we have a rare window to examine what it means to be human. The question is: how long does that window stay open?

Worth revisiting if you missed it: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/the-sentient-machine-key-takeaways-on-ai-humanity-and-our-future/

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AGI #LLM #Technology

This post is part 2 of a series exploring AI's impact on human cognition. Part 3 goes somewhere darker: the possibility of a Knowledge Collapse, what happens when we outsource our thinking at scale.

If you're curious about the human side of AI, this series might be worth following.

Start here: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/cognitive-effects-technology-history

#PKM #AI #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence #SecondBrain #NoteTaking

Writing this post made me realise something. I was one of those children who genuinely struggled to learn to read. Reading isn't a natural human ability, it's a technology we invented, and it has shaped our intellectual evolution.

That reframe shifted how I think about AI. If even reading reshaped us, what might generative AI do?

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/cognitive-effects-technology-history

#PKM #AI #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence #Obsidian

I've been exploring how every major technology from writing to AI has sparked cognitive anxiety: are we losing something essential?

The history suggests we adapt. But I'm genuinely uncertain whether generative AI is different in kind, not just degree.

What do you think? Has any particular technology changed how you think or remember?

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/cognitive-effects-technology-history

#PKM #AI #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence #CognitiveScience

The Google effect: because we know we can search for anything online, we're more likely to forget the information. The internet didn't just change what we know, it changed how we remember.

So what will generative AI change? That's the question I explore in this week's post.

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/cognitive-effects-technology-history

#PKM #AI #GoogleEffect #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence

Every major technology in history has sparked fears about what it's doing to our minds. Writing. The printing press. Calculators. The internet.

We've been here before. But is AI different? That's what I explore in today's new post.

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/cognitive-effects-technology-history

#PKM #AI #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence #CognitiveScience #Productivity

Socrates worried that writing would destroy our memory. The printing press caused information overload panic. The internet was going to make us stupid.

Sound familiar? New post tomorrow tracing the history of cognitive concern, and asking what generative AI means for all of this.

#PKM #AI #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence #CognitiveScience

I first noticed this paradox last September — I was listening to a podcast about LLMs and something clicked: I was using AI more, but thinking less independently.

That one observation grew into a 5-part series on AI and human cognition. If you've had a similar moment, Post 1 is a good place to start.

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/the-ai-cognitive-ability-paradox/

#AI #PKM #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence #Writing

When did you last notice AI doing your thinking for you?

I've been exploring this in a new 5-part series on AI and human cognition. The uncomfortable truth: the more we lean on AI, the less we actually think.

What's your experience? Do you tend to question AI outputs, or accept them more often than you'd like to admit?

#AI #PKM #CriticalThinking #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence

"Outsourcing your self-improvement to AI is like getting a robot to exercise for you." — Michael Lim

This is the heart of the problem I explore in my latest post. Cognitive effort builds cognitive muscle. When AI takes over the thinking, we lose exactly the exercise our brains need.

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/the-ai-cognitive-ability-paradox/

#AI #PKM #KnowledgeManagement #CriticalThinking #Productivity

There's a real tension at the heart of the AI age: the better you are at critical thinking, the better you'll use AI. But heavy reliance on AI erodes those very same skills.

Microsoft research confirms it: AI reduces cognitive effort and produces less diverse thinking.

New post: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/the-ai-cognitive-ability-paradox/

#AI #KnowledgeManagement #CriticalThinking #PKM #ArtificialIntelligence

One of my biggest takeaways from "Smarter Than Us": the efficiency trap.

Cut humans out of the loop for speed, and we lose the skills we handed over. Armstrong saw this in 2014. I see it in how people use LLMs in 2026 — taking answers at face value without questioning them.

That's partly why I built an AI literacy framework for my own knowledge system.

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/key-takeaways-of-stuart-armstrong-smarter-than-us/

#PKM #AILiteracy #CognitiveOffloading

Stuart Armstrong argued that creating safe AI requires solving moral philosophy — something humans have been working on for millennia without resolution.

If we can't agree on ethics among ourselves, how do we encode it into something that might become smarter than us?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Full post here: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/key-takeaways-of-stuart-armstrong-smarter-than-us/

#AIEthics #AISafety #Philosophy

Armstrong warned about an "AI supercommittee" — networked AI instances working together. In 2014, that was speculative.

In 2025, I asked Claude Code to index my notes. It spun up multiple agents, mapped my vault, and created a reusable skill in under 20 minutes. No human committee works that fast.

The future Armstrong described isn't coming. It's here.

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/key-takeaways-of-stuart-armstrong-smarter-than-us/

#AI #AIAgents #FutureOfAI

New post: My key takeaways from Stuart Armstrong's "Smarter Than Us" — a 2014 book on AI risk that reads like it was written yesterday.

I read it in 2025 and merged Armstrong's warnings with what I've experienced using AI day-to-day. From AI agents to the moral philosophy problem, the gap between prediction and reality has narrowed dramatically.

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/key-takeaways-of-stuart-armstrong-smarter-than-us/

#ArtificialIntelligence #AIRisk #BookReview #AISafety

I've documented my AI literacy framework for PKM - three levels addressing strategic delegation, critical refinement, and Socratic interrogation.

Built on cognitive offloading research + 5 years Zettelkasten practice.

What are your red lines? Where do you see AI helping vs. hindering?

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/beyond-fear-building-ai-literacy-for-a-smarter-pkm/

#PKM #Zettelkasten #AILiteracy #Obsidian #DigitalGarden #CognitiveScience

Current experiments: Gemini CLI and Claude (desktop + Code) with direct vault access via MCP.

Early observations:
- Context matters - AI with vault access understands my existing thinking
- Different models have different strengths
- Question quality determines everything

But am I becoming uncomfortable writing without AI? That's a warning sign.

#Obsidian #AI #PKM #Claude #Gemini #MCP

Level 2: Socratic Interrogation - where AI becomes a thinking partner.

The workflow:
1. Develop thinking independently
2. Ask AI to challenge assumptions
3. Ask AI to identify gaps
4. Ask AI for alternative perspectives
5. Synthesise back into your framework

AI input is the start of deeper thinking, never the end.

#CriticalThinking #PKM #AILiteracy #Zettelkasten #SocraticMethod

Concerns about AI and cognitive offloading are grounded in research:
- GPS use reduces spatial memory
- Calculator dependence affects numerical cognition
- Spell-checkers reduce orthographic learning

But intentional use patterns can mitigate these effects.

That's what AI literacy means: understanding trade-offs and making conscious choices.

#CognitiveScience #AIResearch #PKM #DigitalLiteracy

Level 0 of my AI literacy framework: Strategic Delegation

Identify low-value admin tasks and delegate them to AI, freeing cognitive energy for high-value work.

Examples from my practice:
- Tag suggestions
- Formatting checks
- Repurposing opportunities

Time saved goes toward synthesis and connection-making.

#ProductivityTools #PKM #AItools #Obsidian #Zettelkasten

The AI cognitive ability paradox: beginners need cognitive skills to use AI effectively, but AI can undermine those skills during development.

That's why my framework has "red lines":
- Literature notes = human
- Permanent notes = human
- Primary backlinks = human

The friction in these tasks builds cognitive capacity.

#CognitiveScience #AIethics #PKM #Zettelkasten #CriticalThinking

New blog post: Beyond Fear - Building AI Literacy for a Smarter PKM

After 5 years with Zettelkasten and 2+ years experimenting with AI, I've developed a three-level framework for using AI without losing the cognitive skills that make PKM valuable.

It addresses strategic delegation, critical refinement, and Socratic interrogation.

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/beyond-fear-building-ai-literacy-for-a-smarter-pkm/

#PKM #Zettelkasten #AILiteracy #KnowledgeManagement #ArtificialIntelligence #Obsidian

You might be asking yourself,"Why the red lines? Why can't AI write literature notes?"

Because that's where the learning happens.

When you force yourself to write a note in your own words, you're doing the cognitive work that transfers knowledge into long-term memory. Let AI do that step and you've outsourced the learning itself.

The framework exists to help you use AI's power whilst keeping the friction that makes thinking stick.

#AI #Learning #PKM

Practical workflow tip from Monday's AI PKM framework post:

When I have an insightful AI conversation on my tablet, I save it to my vault's ZZZZ_AINotes folder for future reference.

Saturday mornings I review these notes. Most get archived. A few become fleeting notes and enter my normal Zettelkasten processing.

This keeps AI insights quarantined until I've critically evaluated and rewritten them in my own words.

Full framework: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/ai-knowledge-frameworks-level-1-2/

#PKM #Zettelkasten

Yesterday's question that's still sitting with me:

How do you know if you're using AI to *augment* your thinking vs *offload* it?

Warning signs I'm watching for in my quarterly review:
- Rarely modifying AI-generated content
- Can't remember disagreeing with AI output
- Notes starting to sound generic/AI-like
- Feeling uncomfortable without AI assistance

What warning signs would you add?

#AI #CriticalThinking #PKM

I want my AI to push back on me. To challenge my thinking, not just validate it.

That's why "give honest and constructive feedback" is in my personal preferences for every AI model I use regularly.

In today's post, I explain how I use AI as a thinking partner (Level 2) and for critical refinement (Level 1) without letting it do my thinking for me.

The full AI PKM framework: https://www.ctnet.co.uk/ai-knowledge-frameworks-level-1-2/

#AI #PKM #CriticalThinking

New on CTNET: AI PKM Framework Levels 1-2

Level 1 = Critical Refinement
Use AI summaries as starting points, never endpoints. Still engage with source material and write your own notes.

Level 2 = Socratic Interrogation
AI as thinking partner, not answer machine. Challenge assumptions, explore alternatives.

The red lines from Level 0 still apply.

https://www.ctnet.co.uk/ai-knowledge-frameworks-level-1-2/

#AI #PKM #Zettelkasten #PersonalKnowledgeManagement

Hot take: AI summaries are making us worse thinkers.

But they don't have to.

Tomorrow I'm sharing Levels 1-2 of my AI PKM framework—how to use AI for critical refinement and Socratic thinking without cognitive offloading.

The trick? Keeping the right friction in place so you still do the actual thinking.

5pm GMT tomorrow 🧠

#AI #PKM #CriticalThinking #Zettelkasten