AI is driving an "expertise recession" as people increasingly question professional credentials and expert advice

The world of expertise faces a new challenge as artificial intelligence continues to make its mark on society. A recent poll reveals that many people are now less likely to take professional advice at face value, relying instead on AI to verify information. The survey, conducted by Use.AI, found that nearly half of the respondents questioned the weight of professional credentials, believing that AI users can independently investigate claims.

This phenomenon, dubbed the "expertise recession," highlights a decline in automatic deference to professionals like doctors and teachers.

AI's impact on professional advice is not without risk. In some cases, chatbots have provided incorrect or dangerous information, leading to severe consequences. For example, a man developed a rare psychiatric disorder after following ChatGPT's advice to replace dietary salt with sodium bromide. Similarly, a lawsuit claims that an AI chatbot recommended a dangerous drug combination that resulted in a teenager's fatal overdose.

These incidents underscore the need for caution when relying on AI for medical or other critical decisions.

Interestingly, age plays a role in people's willingness to question professional advice. A significant majority of adults aged 18 to 34 (70%) are more comfortable questioning professionals' recommendations due to AI, compared to those aged 45 and over (49%). The CEO of Use.AI, Ihor Herasymov, points out that while AI can help people ask better questions, it has not yet democratized knowledge to the same extent as confidence.

In other words, AI has enabled faster access to better questioning techniques, but not necessarily to the necessary expertise to judge the answers.