Navigating AI Content: How to Avoid Scams and Trust Your Intuition
“Your intuition is your greatest ally in an age of AI-generated content.” - Dr. Ashleigh Moreland
Wowzers! Artificial intelligence (AI) is literally everywhere these days!! (even this blog post originated from a skeleton of AI content that I have been able to build on!)
From social media posts to online courses and even personalised emails (I know people who have chat GPT connected to their emails, which responds to ACTUAL emails entirely without their involvement), AI-generated content is becoming more and more sophisticated and pervasive. But how can YOU tell if something is genuine, or if you’re being deceived?
As consumers, it's crucial to develop discernment and a strong connection to our intuition to navigate this new landscape effectively. In our latest episode of the Re-MIND Podcast, titled "Doomsday or New Earth? What is AI's Role in Our Future?", we delved into these issues, offering insights and practical advice on how to stay grounded and avoid getting scammed.
The Rise of AI-Generated Content
AI has revolutionised the way content is created and consumed. What used to take a skilled copywriter hours, days or weeks, AI can do in seconds now. While it offers incredible benefits in terms of efficiency and creativity, it also poses significant challenges. The ease with which AI can generate realistic content means that it's becoming harder to distinguish between genuine human-created material and AI-generated output. This blurring of lines can lead to deception and scams if we're not careful. I mean, I know of entire courses that have been created by people who have ZERO expertise in the field - literally their laptop with chat GPT, and a delivery modality! If you knew you were paying huge money for something that was written in a few minutes with AI, how would that land for you? REALLY? For me, personally, I want to leverage the embodied wisdom and lived experience and nuanced expertise of actual experts, not just be sold words that “sound” right from good marketing!!
Understanding the Risks
AI-generated content can be used for lots of different purposes, some of which may not always be in your best interest. Here are some common scenarios where you need to be cautious:
1. Online Courses and E-Learning
With the proliferation of online courses, it’s tempting to enroll in programs promising quick fixes or miracle solutions. However, as I mentioned, many of these courses may be largely or entirely generated by AI, lacking genuine human expertise and experience. It’s crucial to discern the authenticity of the course content and the credibility of the instructor. Do some research, ask really good questions, check out verifiable testimonials and reviews… nothing can be taken at face value these days!
2. Social Media and Influencers
Social media platforms are rife with AI-generated posts and deepfakes, which can create misleading impressions. Influencers may use AI to craft perfect images, videos, or messages that do not reflect their true selves, their expertise, or their real experiences. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and potentially harmful (AND COSTLY!!!!) decisions based on false information.
3. Scam Emails and Messages
AI can generate highly convincing emails and messages that appear to come from legitimate sources. These can include phishing attempts, requests for personal information, or financial scams. Being able to identify and avoid these scams is essential for protecting your personal and financial security. Asking great questions, following up, verifying first, etc are all really important steps. Remember, they will often use “urgency” as psychological manipulation to push you into a stress response under pressure to bypass your logical and rational mind, so ramp up your spidey senses to sniff out urgency and make them wait.
Practical Tools for Avoiding Scams and Enhancing Discernment
1. Strengthening Your Intuition
Your intuition is your inner compass, guiding you through the complexities of life. Another way I like to look at it, is kind of like a light house. It helps keep me on the path that is aligned to my soul’s journey and my own spiritual truth. In an AI-driven world, it’s more important than ever to trust and hone this inner sense. Here are some practical steps you can do for free, already at home, to strengthen your intuition:
Mindfulness Practices: Engage in daily mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing, or free journaling. These activities help you tune into your inner voice and reduce the noise of external influences.
Reflective Questions: When faced with a decision or content that seems off, ask yourself reflective questions. How does this make me feel? (I mean literally, like in your body!!). Does it align with my values? What is my first-response gut reaction?
Body Awareness: Pay attention to physical sensations. Your body often gives signals when something isn’t right. Notice if you feel tension, discomfort, or unease, and turn towards it with curiosity. Sometimes these sensations can be stemming from fear that is just trying to protect you, and when you converse with those sensations, you get clarity and they ease. But other times, the sensations are your spirit creating resistance to tell you NOT to pursue “the thing”. TRUST THAT!! I literally guide prospective clients through this process of tuning into their body to make a decision about working together, or not. It is so important to honour a no, or a not yet, when it comes up!!! No more getting “sold” things you don’t need, or that are not right for you.
2. Verifying Authenticity
Before acting on AI-generated content (or suspected AI content), take steps to verify its authenticity:
Research the Source: Look up the content creator or organisation. Check their credentials, reviews, and past work. A credible source will have a verifiable history of expertise and positive feedback.
Cross-Check Information: Validate the content against multiple sources. If an online course promises extraordinary results, compare it with similar courses, or even various iterations of the same course (past participants) and see if the claims hold up.
Ask Questions: Don’t be afraid to ask direct questions. Reach out to the content creator or instructor for more information. Genuine experts will welcome inquiries and provide detailed, transparent answers.
3. Practical Scenarios and Strategies
Here are some scenarios and strategies to help you navigate AI content effectively:
Scenario: Evaluating an Online Course
You come across an online course that claims to teach you how to master a new skill in a short amount of time. The promotional material is polished and convincing.
Check Instructor Credentials: Research the instructor’s background. Do they have verifiable experience in the field? Look for their presence on professional networks like LinkedIn. Ask questions about their OWN lived experience with what they are selling. Look for tangible evidence.
Read Reviews: Look for reviews from past participants. Genuine reviews will provide detailed feedback about the course’s effectiveness and the instructor’s expertise. Keep in mind that reviews that can’t be verified could very well have been scam reviews written by AI… seriously! Boooo!
Request a Preview: Ask for a sample lesson or preview of the course content. This allows you to assess the quality and relevance of the material. In my work, we have enormous privacy values due to the sensitivity of what we are working with. As such, I direct people to my youtube channel / podcast, because these are GENUINE conversations and contributions that demonstrate my actual experience and expertise in the field I’m in, and it also gives an opportunity for people to feel whether or not they resonate with my style of delivery / speaking.
Scenario: Identifying Social Media Deepfakes
You see a viral video of an influencer promoting a product that seems too good to be true. The video looks realistic, but something feels off.
Examine the Details: Look and listen closely at the video for inconsistencies. AI-generated videos may have subtle glitches, unnatural movements, slightly odd pauses between words, slightly off accents or mismatched audio.
Verify with Other Posts: Check the influencer’s other posts. Do they consistently promote similar products or themes? Sudden changes in content style or tone can be a red flag. Honestly, sometimes I can just “tell” that people haven’t written something, because I know the tone of their writing style and all of a sudden it DRASTICALLY changes - it’s not authentic and makes me turn off! I was an academic for 12 years - it’s natural and normal for me to use pretty formal writing.
Consult Trusted Sources: Look for confirmation from trusted news sources or other influencers. If it’s a genuine promotion, it’s likely to be corroborated by others.
Scenario: Avoiding Email Scams
You receive an email from a company you know, asking for personal information to resolve an urgent issue.
Check the Sender’s Address: Verify the sender’s email address. Scammers often use addresses that mimic legitimate ones but with slight variations. Lowercase 'a’s are often a big telltale sign. You might even jump on google and search for the text or email you received and see if others have reported similar scams.
Look for Red Flags: Be wary of urgent requests, spelling errors, or suspicious links. Genuine companies typically do not ask for sensitive information via email.
Contact the Company Directly: If in doubt, contact the company through their official website or customer service number to verify the email’s authenticity.
Connecting with Community and Resources
At the Re-MIND Institute, we are both users of AI, as well as consumers of AI, and we understand both sides of the coin when it comes to the challenges of navigating an AI-driven world. That’s why we’ve created resources to support you to tune into your conscious awareness and avoid getting deceived. You can access our free e-book on this topic here, or join our Rise and Thrive program, which equips you with a strong connection to your intuition, and helps you get clear on your values to leverage AI with integrity and authenticity.
Join Our Heart-Centred Healing Hub
For ongoing support and community, join our Heart-Centred Healing Hub on Facebook. This group is a safe and supportive space where you can connect with like-minded individuals, share your experiences, and receive guidance on using discernment in various aspects of your life.
Call to Action:
Are you ready to embrace AI while staying true to yourself? Listen to our latest podcast episode, "Doomsday or New Earth? What is AI's Role in Our Future?", and join the conversation. Share your thoughts on how AI has impacted your life and learn from others in our community. Don't miss out on valuable resources and discussions that can help you thrive in this new era.
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Watch Episode 67 of the Re-MIND Podcast here:
