Rebellion might be a strong word, but it’s what I feel when AI-powered apps I’ve tried get too bossy. For example, Noom kept telling me what I already knew and gently scolded (reminded) me to do better with my diet. Did I lose any weight? Nope, because the rebel in me resisted being told to stick to the plan.

A similar thing happened this fall, when I decided to use Duoling to refresh my college German and add Welsh to my language study. The first few weeks went well. I was moving along with my German and was surprised what I remembered after 50 years. Welsh was brand new to me and it was fun to finally hear and see what those long strings of consonants sounded like.

As long as I did my lessons for the day, Duolingo was working for me. But then I missed a day and then another day. Text messages and email reminders started to flow in my inbox. And I was chastened again by the AI voice that got in my brain. I would tell myself “you’re being ridiculous.” It’s a program, not a person. Nobody knew I had fallen “behind” except me. I felt anxious about it, and I kept feeling like a failure with the relentless messaging. I also was uninterested in the “gaming” aspects of these apps.

Once again, I got my hackles up and deleted that app. I’m wondering if AI apps create a new version of perfectionism, which for recovering perfectionists like me, can be difficult to manage. Part of me knows that I cut myself off from a free learning tool, but was the tool worth it if it felt tyrannical? Was it self-sabotage? I don’t know.

I’m curious what your experiences have been.

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a place of safety, support, and beauty.