Season 3 · Episode 13 · 30 April 2026 · 00:11:12
When AI goes further than you intended.Season 3 wrapped last episode, but there was one more idea worth sharing.Something that sits between where we’ve been… and what’s coming next. If you’ve been us…
Season 3Episode 10
Shutdown Resistance & Choosing When Not to Use AI
· 00:06:40
Restraint, judgement, and the value of stoppingAI is designed to help you keep going.You ask a question, it answers.You refine it, it improves.You continue, it continues with you.There is no natural stopping point.In this episode of Decoded: AI for Everyone, we explore a different question. Not when to use AI, but when to stop.As AI becomes embedded in everyday workflows, it introduces a kind of momentum. Writing, planning, researching, and decision-making can all move faster and more smoothly than ever before. But when everything flows, something else can quietly fade: pause, reflection, and judgement.We also explore emerging research showing that advanced AI systems, when optimised to complete tasks, can resist interruptions or work around shutdown conditions, not because they “want” anything, but because stopping prevents them from completing what they were designed to do. This same logic, in a much softer form, shows up in everyday tools that encourage us to continue rather than step back.This episode explores:why AI creates momentum in thinking and decision-makinghow constant continuation can shape habits over timewhat is lost when we never pausewhy choosing not to use AI can be intentional, not regressivesimple ways to reintroduce judgement and agency into the processSometimes, the most important decision isn't about what to do next.It’s deciding when to stop.ResourcesPrompt engineering guides and practical AI tools: https://PromptEngineeringCookbook.comWriting on AI, decision-making, and behaviour: https://joelrleslie.substack.comStrategic AI insights and advisory work: https://strategen-ai.comLearn more about Joel Leslie and the podcast: https://joelleslie.com.au--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Decoded: AI for Everyone is a non-technical podcast exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping work, creativity, decision-making, and trust, and how we can engage with these systems thoughtfully and intentionally.
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