How to think well with AI: signals, quietness, and the argument engine

from Azeem Azhar's Exponential View · host EPIIPLUS 1 Ltd / Azeem Azhar

Welcome to Exponential View, the show where I explore how exponential technologies such as AI are reshaping our future. I've been studying AI and exponential technologies at the frontier for over ten years. Each week, I share some of my analysis or speak with an expert guest to make light of a particular topic. To keep up with the Exponential transition, subscribe to this channel or to my newsletter: https://www.exponentialview.co/ ----- AI has become so embedded in how I work that I can no longer cleanly separate it from my thinking. That raises a question I find genuinely unsettling: is intensive AI use making me a sharper thinker, or quietly doing the opposite? In this episode I pull back the curtain on my full research and writing process — the custom tools, the friction points, and the places where I'm still not sure I've got it right. For Ezra Klein, having AI summarize material is a disaster for original thought. But my AI systems are designed to protect the cognitive work that has to stay human, while they handle everything else. Knowing where to draw that line turns out to be the hardest and most important question. I covered: 00:00 - Is AI worsening our thinking? 02:35 - Ezra Klein on AI and the death of original thought 04:02 - Cognitive offloading vs cognitive surrender 09:20 - Signal detection at scale 11:06 - Why I use several AI personas to scan for different insights 13:37 - AI tells me what NOT to think about 16:25 - The value of quietness 19:07 - Small notebooks, small ideas 20:01 - Writing reveals what you don't yet know 23:24 - The golden thread 25:20 - Speaking drafts aloud 28:05 - How I stress-test my arguments before publishing 29:35 - Using AI to stress-test my own house views 31:44 - Stylometer: my AI style and grammar tool 33:10 - Did AI make the thinking better? For more on this week’s topics, subscribe to my newsletter https://www.exponentialview.co/ ----- Where to find me: Exponential View newsletter: https://www.exponentialview.co/ Website: https://www.azeemazhar.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azhar/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/azeem Production by EPIIPLUS1 Production and research: Baba Films, Chantal Smith, Marija Gavrilov. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What this episode covers

AI has become so embedded in how I work that I can no longer cleanly separate it from my thinking. That raises a question I find genuinely unsettling: is intensive AI use making me a sharper thinker, or quietly doing the opposite? In this episode I pull back the curtain on my full research and writing process — the custom tools, the friction points, and the places where I'm still not sure I've got it right. For Ezra Klein, having AI summarize material is a disaster for original thought. But my AI systems are designed to protect the cognitive work that has to stay human, while they handle everything else. Knowing where to draw that line turns out to be the hardest and most important question.

NOW PLAYING

How to think well with AI: signals, quietness, and the argument engine

0:00 32:56

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Christian Shockley: Poetry as Equipment for Living (Pt. 2)

Jul 22, 2025 ·55m

Christian Shockley: Poetry as Equipment for Living (Pt. 1)

Jul 15, 2025 ·47m

Garland Dunlap: Exploring Afrofuturism and Education (Pt. 2)

Jul 8, 2025 ·61m

Garland Dunlap: The Power of Education, Faith, and Transformation (Pt. 1)

Jul 1, 2025 ·75m

Marie Poulin on Culinary Creativity, Self-Discovery, and Personal Authority (Pt. 2)

Jun 24, 2025 ·49m

Marie Poulin on Notion, ADHD & Building a Values-Based Business (Pt. 1)

Jun 17, 2025 ·43m

Similar Podcasts

Sermons | Countryside Bible Church Countryside Bible Church At Countryside Bible Church, we equip believers to joyfully live holy lives, to serve one another, and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, all to the glory of God. We are committed to a high view of God, and a high view of Scripture. TV 2 - Veien til EM TV 2 og Moderne Media Velkommen til TV 2's EM podkast. Dette er tidenes første EM-podkast fra TV 2. I dagene før kamper skal Jesper Mathisen, Jan-Henrik Børslid og Espen Solbakken m/gjester lade opp. God fornøyelse! For annonsering: [email protected] booking: [email protected] Generally American (A Journey in American English) Christopher M. Chandler, Kris Schauer Hello, Hola, Guten Tag, Bonjour, こんにちは !Welcome everyone, this is a podcast for those wanting to learn about U.S. culture through Standard American English, also known as General American. We talk about various different topics related to the U.S. and the U.S.'s relations with other countries. My co-host and I would like to think of this as more of a journey because you never know where it’ll take us. Plus, since the journey’s more important than the end or the start, we hope that you’ll be willing to join us! Let’s see where it takes us! SideKickBack Radio Andrew Fromer - Actor, Writer, Musician, Podcast Host A podcast that's about whatever we want. Every week I'll interview a new guest who brings a new perspective, a new point of view on life that just might help you get through your long drive home. Join us!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Azeem Azhar's Exponential View?

This episode is 32 minutes long.

When was this Azeem Azhar's Exponential View episode published?

This episode was published on March 13, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Azeem Azhar's Exponential View episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!