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AI is testing more than our intelligenceits testing our discipline, ambition, and willingness to think for ourselves.Image source: ShutterstockMany people are familiar with the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment. Conducted in 1972 by Walter Mischel, the study tested childrens ability to delay gratification.Each child was given a marshmallow and told theyd receive a second one if they could resist eating the first for 15minutes.Predictably, some kids devoured the marshmallow immediately. Others tried to resist in various wayssome sniffed it, stared at it, or covered their eyes to avoid temptation.The key finding? Those who could delay gratification tended to achieve greater success later in life. The study suggested that self-control was a strong predictor of future achievement.Today, a similar test of restraint is playing out on a much larger scalenot with marshmallows, but with artificial intelligence (AI).Like those children staring at a marshmallow, were faced with a choicetake the easy reward now or exercise discipline for something greater. Do we let AI think for us, automate our creativity, and erode the skills that set us apart? Or do we use it deliberately, as a tool that sharpens rather than dulls our abilities?The way we interact with AI todaywhether we lean on it as a crutch or use it to amplify our thinkingwill shape our future success. Some will take shortcuts, letting AI do their work, their thinking, their problem-solving. Others will resist the temptation of complacency, pushing themselves further, using AI as a force multiplier rather than a substitute.And just like in the original marshmallow experiment, years from now, the difference between the two groups will be undeniable.AIAn Amplifier, Not an EqualizerThe internet was supposed to democratize information, giving everyone access to knowledge that was once locked away in elite institutions. And in some ways, it did. But did everyone take advantage of it?No.When barriers are removed, some sprint forward while others stand still, hypnotized by the illusion of progress. The internet didnt make everyone smarterit made the driven unstoppable while leaving the passive even more complacent. AI will take this divide to anextreme.For some, AI will be a pacifiera way to think less, automate more, and let their skills wither away. For others, it will be a force multiplier, enabling them to think deeper, execute faster, and push their abilities further than everbefore.Passive consumers vs. activecreatorsLook at how people engage with AI today. Some use it to automate emails, summarize documents, and handle mundane tasks. Others use it to refine ideas, generate insights, and challenge their own thinking.The passive consumer asks AI to think for them. They rely on it to generate ideas they never would have had and answer even the simplest questions. Instead of strengthening their problem-solving muscles, they let thematrophy.On the other hand, the active creator treats AI as a sparring partner. They refine its outputs, challenge its assumptions, and push their thinking further. AI doesnt replace their intellectit enhances it. When AI makes something easier, they dont stop thinking. They think harder, using AIs capabilities as a launching pad rather than a substitute.And just like in the marshmallow experiment, those who give in too soon will face the consequences years laterwhen their skills have eroded, and theyve become replaceable.The futurea widening capability gapAs AI advances, the gap between highly capable thinkers and passive dependents will become unbridgeable. The workforce wont just be split between those who have jobs and those who dontit will be divided between those who use AI to enhance their thinking and those who cant think beyond AIsoutput.A driven lawyer will use AI to analyze cases at lightning speed, cross-referencing laws and precedents in ways no human could alone. A lazy one will let AI generate arguments without understanding the reasoning behind them. One becomes indispensablethe other, disposable.A skilled designer will use AI to prototype faster, explore creative possibilities, and push their craft forward. A mediocre one will rely on AI-generated content without refinement or originality. One evolvesthe other drowns in a sea of sameness.AI wont eliminate the need for skillit will expose how little some people actuallyhave.AI wont saveeveryoneThe comforting lie is that AI will help everyone succeed. The reality? It will only amplify the success of those who are already capable, allowing them to scale their efforts like neverbefore.Yes, AI has the potential to level the playing fieldgiving people access to tools and insights that were once exclusive to the elite. But access alone doesnt guarantee skilljust as the widespread adoption of the internet has alreadyproven.For those who embrace shortcuts as a way to work smarter, AI is a powerful tool. But for those who lean on it out of lazinessavoiding effort rather than optimizing itAI will only deepen their dependence. They risk becoming spectators rather than participants in a world shaped by those who wield it with intention.This shift will redefine power and opportunity in ways that extend beyond traditional wealth and knowledge. Money can be inherited. Intelligence can be wasted. But AI capabilitythe fusion of intelligence, work ethic, and adaptabilitywill determine who thrives and who fallsbehind.And just like in that original marshmallow experiment, the results will only become clear yearslater.The children who resisted the marshmallow grew up to be more successfulnot because of luck or intelligence, but because they intuitively grasped the power of self-discipline and long-term thinking.We are like those childrennow.Our behavior toward AIwhether we give in to easy rewards or use it to push ourselves furtherwill define ourfuture.So, what will you do? Eat the marshmallow now? Or wait, think, and use AI not just to build something bigger, but to grow yourself in theprocess?Dont miss out! Join my email list and receive the latestcontent.How we choose to use AI is the new marshmallow test was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
