Cardiologist Andrejs Ērglis warns AI use risks dumbing down society

In the TV24 program "Nedēļa. Post Scriptum," cardiologist, professor and host of "Laiks zinātnei" Andrejs Ērglis offered sharp criticism of artificial intelligence's growing role in shaping public knowledge and thinking.

Ērglis said he is deeply concerned about the lowering of thresholds for knowledge and skills across society, which he believes is leading to an intellectual decline.

Form versus substance

Asked about politicians openly admitting they ask AI to write their speeches, Ērglis said this is indeed cause for alarm. He acknowledged that AI can neatly organize a document's form and structure, but warned it should never be trusted to shape the actual content or ideas behind a text.

Concerns about education standards

The professor also pointed to troubling shifts in education and academia, noting that requirements for writing dissertations and academic papers have been steadily relaxed. While children need protection, he said, they also need to be shown what real life demands, including maintaining rigorous standards. In his view, allowing standards to slip contributes to a broader dumbing-down of society — a call he extended directly to his academic colleagues as well.

A technical tool, not a thinker

Ērglis explained that artificial intelligence can be useful for technical tasks but is not suited to grappling with large, philosophical questions. He expressed doubt that AI possesses anything resembling thoughts or hopes of its own. He referenced an upcoming episode of "Laiks zinātnei," in which former President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga described asking AI certain questions and getting responses that resembled a human becoming irritated.