Unmasking AI: Beyond Speed and Efficiency

In an era where AI is often celebrated for its ability to enhance productivity and streamline processes, a deeper question arises: should we be focusing solely on speed and compliance or on the broader ethical implications of these technologies? This discussion underscores the need for critical AI literacy, advocating an approach that prioritizes thoughtful engagement over mere efficiency.

AI systems, while powerful, are not without biases, as demonstrated in the 2025 analysis of the British Newspaper Archive and research published in the Lancet Global Health journal. These studies highlight how datasets, skewed representations, and entrenched worldviews might distort reality if uncritically adopted.

The humanities offer a valuable perspective in questioning whose voices are amplified or silenced in AI outputs. Meanwhile, professionals in education, journalism, and healthcare are urged to establish frameworks that allow them to distinguish between AI's supportive functions and those that substitute essential human judgment. Slow AI, a community dedicated to ethical AI engagement, champions such discernment, urging users to move beyond simply learning how to use these tools towards understanding when—and if—they should be used at all.