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Summary

An exploration of trust, skepticism, ways to develop critical thinking, and how it applies to any situation (including AI).

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Abstract

Everything starts with trust. It is foundational in every aspect of our personal and professional lives. And in many situations, trust alone is sufficient. However, sometimes relying solely on trust can have catastrophic consequences. But how can we know when trust is enough? And what can we do when it is not? By evaluating risk and practicing skepticism!

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In low-risk situations, moving forward with faith-based trust alone is reasonable. But in high-risk situations, it can be beneficial to base our decisions and actions on evidence instead. Skepticism is a neutral stance that questions blind beliefs, suspends judgement until justified evidence is available, and helps us make evidence-based decisions that avoid unwanted outcomes.

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Practicing skepticism involves fact-checking, being aware of biases, asking good questions, and more. And, it is all especially relevant with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a powerful yet complex technology. Understanding AI and practicing skepticism can help us use it responsibly, productively, and safely.

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Join me as I explore trust, examine risk, promote skepticism, offer practical ways to develop critical thinking, and show how all these ideas apply to AI and your context.

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NOTE

• If you and your audience is not interested in AI, all AI-related elements of this talk can be removed so that the focus is strictly/only on Trust, Risk, Skepticism, and Critical Thinking.

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Audience

Anyone who relies on Trust to work, live, or play. (Spoiler: this is everyone)

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Duration

1 hour

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Key Takeaways

• The importance of Trust

• Evaluating risk to determine if trust is enough or not

• Practical ways to develop and practice skepticism and critical thinking

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Media

• Slide Deck

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