AI is being used not only as a tool to find and organise information but as a means to make difficult decisions for users. Experts said handing over judgement itself to AI may be convenient in the short term but could, over time, reduce the ability to decide independently and weaken self-confidence.

TechRadar reported on Sept. 11 that a survey by learning app Headway of 2,000 adults found 46 percent said they had used AI when making difficult decisions. Some 35 percent said they naturally turn to AI when stressed, and 21 percent said it is hard to go a week without AI help when deciding what to do.

Headway described the phenomenon as "Decision rot". It said AI is being used not only to gather information or organise options, but as a way to avoid the discomfort and uncertainty that come with making decisions.

Differences also emerged by gender. Some 53 percent of male respondents said they use AI to avoid difficult decisions, compared with 40 percent of women. The analysis said conversational AI such as ChatGPT offers fast and definitive answers, which users accept as an easy solution.

Susan DeZis-White (수전 데지스-화이트), a counsellor at Headway and a relationship expert, said there is a difference between referring to an outside perspective and handing over the decision-making process itself. She said directly dealing with uncertainty and making important choices on one’s own is important to building the ability to trust one’s judgement.

Even when asking AI the same question, results can vary greatly depending on how it is asked. TechRadar introduced a case in which someone asked ChatGPT whether to sign up for an eight-week evening drawing class. At first, the person simply asked, "What should I do?" ChatGPT replied that the person should sign up. It said the class would help the person step away from the screen and build a regular activity, and that eight weeks was not too long.

But the answer did not sufficiently reflect the individual’s circumstances. It left out key factors such as whether the tuition fit the budget, whether Tuesday evenings would actually be burdensome, and whether the person had the time and patience needed to learn a new skill. It was, in the end, closer to general advice that could apply to anyone.

The writer then asked ChatGPT to switch roles. The writer instructed it not to make the decision, but to act like a "decision-making coach" by asking questions that reveal priorities and constraints, checking missing information and incorrect assumptions, and organising options and trade-offs. The writer said the final decision would be made by the writer.

The conversation then changed. ChatGPT first asked what the person actually wanted to gain from the class. It separated goals such as learning the basics of drawing and painting, doing a new activity outside the home, meeting people, or needing a creative experience different from usual. It also asked whether a tiring weekday evening class would truly be energising or instead become a burden.

After the writer explained goals and lifestyle patterns, ChatGPT summarised the pros and cons of enrolling but did not state definitively which choice to make. Instead, it showed what conditions would make enrolling more worthwhile and under what conditions it would be better to hold off.

Experts said this approach could be a better way to use generative AI. DeZis-White warned that relying on AI whenever the discomfort of decision-making arises can bring quick relief, but it may also cost people the chance to develop their decision-making ability and boost self-confidence.

What matters, in the end, is less what answer AI produces than what role the user assigns it. AI recommendations may be useful for simple choices, but for major decisions involving time and money, relationships and lifestyles, it is more appropriate to use AI not as a "decision maker" but as something to review choices with.

As generative AI becomes deeply embedded in daily life, not only "what to ask AI" but also "how far to entrust AI with judgement" is expected to emerge as a new standard for how it is used.