Episode Details

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In this edition of The Paul Truesdell podcast, we're going to do a little Let's interview Paul style. We're going to talk about AI and cognitive impairment, some of the pros and cons, and what we might want to start thinking about because it's moving fast and furious. It's not a movie. It's not a race. It is. Well, it is a race. And I will say this, Elon Musk is doing things that are taking it to a whole new level. It's a it's a race of AI, well anyway, let's get the disclaimer in, and we'll be right back right after this.

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Paul you have spoken extensively about what you call the gray zone. This is a concept you developed to describe the spectrum of human competence. You describe the white zone as full cognitive competence, the black zone as complete incompetence, or even death and everything in between, as the gray zone in today's world where artificial intelligence is playing a larger role in daily decision making, you have voiced serious concerns about the way people, especially those entering or living in retirement, can misuse or be misled by AI. Specifically, you have warned that cognitively challenged individuals can both be manipulated by AI and manipulate it themselves, using it to confirm their own biases rather than seek objective truth. Can you explain this gray zone dynamic in more detail and share what implications you see on the horizon, particularly in terms of mental health, truth and decision making among aging populations? Absolutely, this is something I have been talking about extensively, both privately and publicly, and it is becoming increasingly clear that we are entering a critical period of cognitive confusion and technological dependence, particularly among older adults. Let me explain what I mean when I talk about the gray zone. Now, before I go any further, let me make one thing perfectly clear. There are those who when you talk about people who are older, who are aging, baby boomers immediately begin to get their underwear in a bind. I am over 65 and so that means I have the right to talk about my age group without anyone saying that I'm biased or those idiotic phrases. Well, one day when you're my age, I don't like that and I don't cotton to it. So got it. If this is offensive to you, just go away. Don't come back, because this is the real world. Now, I created this framework decades ago to describe

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where people fall in terms of competency. One end, we have the white zone, where a person is fully competent. They understand what they are doing, they make rational decisions. They know their limitations. On the other hand, we have the black zone, which is not meant to be a pejorative, but rather it's descriptive. Now this includes those who are completely competent due to, excuse me, completely incompetent

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due to advanced cognitive decline, dementia, or in some cases, they are no longer living. Now, we always talk about physical, emotional and intellectual challenges, and what lies in between is called the gray zone. That's mine. That's what I've called it, and that's where things get well, they can get real complicated. Now the gray zone is where someone might appear to be competent. On the surface, they can hold a conversation, they can operate a phone, they can type into

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an AI program, and they can even sound intelligent, but they are no longer truly grounded in logic, discernment or independent judgment. Well, they begin seeking answers, not to gain clarity, but to validate their emotional reactions