Are We All Starting to Think the Same?
The Subtle Shift in How We Think
You may believe you think independently. But take a closer look at your daily habits like the content you engage with, the opinions you share, the choices you make. Ask yourself honestly: how much of this did you actually come up with on your own?
Every day, algorithms shape what you see. AI curates your feeds, filters your searches, predicts your preferences. And with each uncritical acceptance of its suggestions, you risk losing one of your most valuable traits…. your original thought.
That doesn’t mean AI is the problem. Used with intent, it can sharpen how you think and expand your ideas rather than dull them.
The Cost of Optimised Thinking
AI is designed for efficiency. It optimises for what performs well, often defaulting to what's familiar, safe, and widely accepted.
This is how you end up seeing the same cookie-cutter posts.
The same recycled headlines.
The same tired strategies.
When everyone draws from the same AI-shaped pool of ideas, everything begins to sound the same. Creativity fades. Differentiation disappears. Businesses lose their identity and edge.
But none of that is inevitable.
Use AI to Enhance Thinking, Not Replace It
The people who thrive won't be the ones who use AI to shortcut thinking. They'll be the ones who use it to sharpen it.
Step 1: Don’t Accept the First Answer
By default, AI provides responses that are neutral and safe. The first result is usually the most obvious one.
Push it further:
What’s the argument against this idea?
How would someone from a completely different industry view this?
What’s a take nobody is discussing?
The more you challenge AI, the more original the output becomes.
Step 2: Adapt AI to Your Thinking Style
Most people treat AI like an upgraded search engine. You shouldn’t.
If you want something with edge and clarity, prompt AI with intent:
“Rewrite this in my voice: sharp, clear, assertive.”
“What’s a contrarian angle on this trend?”
When you shape how AI responds, it aligns with your thinking instead of diluting it.
Step 3: Break Patterns on Purpose
AI is good at finding patterns. But patterns make things predictable.
Write your own ideas before involving AI. Use it after, to polish or expand, not to lead. Ask for unexpected takes before settling on any perspective. Let AI explore the edges, while you control the direction.
Originality comes from creative friction. You provide the angle. AI provides options.
Keep AI in Check
AI isn’t the issue. Using it without intention is.
Many will let AI quietly shape their decisions without pushing back. But the real advantage belongs to those who ask more from their tools and themselves.
Challenge assumptions.
Break the echo chamber.
Keep your thinking sharp.
Your Move This Week
Next time you use AI, ask:
What’s the contrary opinion?
What’s a perspective nobody is talking about?
How would a leader in a different industry think about this?
Use the responses to question, not confirm. That’s how you stay original.
What to Do Next
If you want to sharpen your edge and stay relevant while using AI daily, join my masterclass. You’ll learn how to:
Build AI workflows that expand creativity
Use AI for smarter decision-making
Avoid becoming just another voice in the feed
The tools already exist. The opportunity is right in front of you. Use it with care, and you’ll stay ahead.
All the Zest 🍋
Cien
P.S. Know someone who needs to hear this? Share it with them. Original thinking still matters.