How AI is Changing the Way People Think and Interact - But is it For the Better?

Life is undeniably easier today than in the past, and technology continues to accelerate that ease, even as countless jobs now hang in the balance. Artificial Intelligence, which would have been unimaginable just 10 to 15 years ago, is now woven into daily life. Yet one must ask: are we being guided down another path of mental dependency, becoming increasingly subservient to an unseen authority? 

The last two decades have shown how easily society at large can be led, believing almost anything presented as ‘higher authority’, whether or not it is grounded in truth. Why would anyone trust a machine programmed to predict language, not verify facts? Critical thinking has become rare. Most are simply following prompts like obedient robots, with no idea they are being nudged, not informed. 

Artificial Intelligence has become part of everyday life, almost overnight. We use it to write articles, answer emails, draft reports, generate ideas and even ask for life advice. But as convenient as it may seem, AI is quietly reshaping how people think, decide and interact – although this may not always be for the better. 

For anyone with a keen mind in the Phuket real estate industry, especially those who understand how AI works, how Large Language Models generate text, and the weaknesses of search engine summaries, the shift has been obvious. Over the past few months, the types of questions now arriving from prospective buyers have become increasingly bizarre. Some are even so illogical that it is difficult not to laugh. In many cases, the phrasing alone gives it away; these questions were clearly generated by AI. 

Most people still have no understanding of what a Large Language Model (LLM) actually is. An LLM is not a database of facts, nor does it ‘know’ anything. It is simply a system trained on billions of sentences written by humans; it learns mathematical relationships between words, structures, phrasing and context. When someone asks a question, the model does not ‘think’ about what is true, it merely predicts the next most statistically likely word sequence based on patterns it has seen before. It does not cross-check legal statutes. It does not verify accuracy. It does not know right from wrong. It just predicts language. This is why LLMs can so confidently output something that sounds correct, while being entirely false, misleading, or even illegal in the Thai real estate context. 

The Rise of the Instant Answer Culture

When we type a question into Google today, we’re no longer simply given a list of websites to explore. Increasingly, Google itself, often powered by AI, gives us a ready-made answer right at the top of the screen. The effect is subtle but profound: fewer people are clicking through to real websites, preferring instead to trust a summarised “AI response.” 

A recent webcast referencing Microsoft’s own search data suggests that around 77% of users never leave AI-generated answers. In other words, people are spending more time reading what AI produces than visiting the original sources that those answers were drawn from. This has enormous implications, not only for businesses but also for how society consumes information and forms opinions. 

How AI ‘Thinks’ – and Why It’s Not Always Right

So how does AI actually create these answers? When someone types a question, the model is not evaluating truth; it is simply predicting the next most statistically likely word sequence based on patterns it has absorbed during training. It is never ‘thinking’ about accuracy, legality, or context. As a result, AI can (and often does) produce answers that sound convincing, yet are inaccurate, incomplete, or based on assumptions. 

In countries with complex ownership rules, such as Thailand, this becomes a genuine risk. For example, if an AI chatbot tells a foreign buyer they can purchase land outright in Phuket using a Thai company structure with shareholders they will never meet, that is not just misleading – it could set someone on a path toward advice that would not stand up under closer legal scrutiny. 

When AI Becomes a Lawbreaker’s Best Friend

One of the more concerning consequences of AI-driven search results is that they can unintentionally amplify visibility for operators who may not fully appreciate the sensitivities of Thailand’s foreign ownership framework. Many newer real estate companies, especially those unfamiliar with the legal nuances around nominee structures, can still appear prominently in AI-generated summaries, sometimes even above agencies who have worked diligently for many years to ensure strict compliance. 

This raises an important question: are search engines and AI tools always able to distinguish between operators who fully align with Thai ownership rules and those who may simply be less familiar with them? When an algorithm crawls the web without deeper context, it can unintentionally elevate businesses that might not yet have fully adapted to the direction Thai regulators are moving. The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has made its intentions clear: Thailand is tightening clarity around foreign ownership structures – and greater transparency is coming. 

If the proposed AMLA reforms proceed as expected, there may be stronger enforcement mechanisms in the future, particularly around nominee structures. In such an environment, AI-generated search summaries that present all operators side-by-side, without context, could unintentionally blur the lines for foreign buyers. A technology designed to make life easier may inadvertently place well-meaning buyers at risk simply because the machine cannot yet interpret legal nuance. 

E-Commerce vs. Real Estate: A Dangerous Comparison

Some defenders argue that AI simply promotes whatever is most popular or widely linked online, but that logic may hold true only in e-commerce, not real estate. 

When AI recommends a pair of shoes or a new phone, the worst that can happen is a disappointed customer or a bad review. But when AI casually promotes a property company operating outside Thailand’s intended ownership framework, the consequences are far more serious. 

Real estate in Thailand isn’t just another online product. It’s bound by complex ownership laws that restrict foreign buyers from owning land directly. Misleading information in this context can’t be dismissed as an innocent algorithmic mistake. It has real-world financial and legal consequences. 

The Changing Psychology of the Consumer

AI isn’t just shaping what people see, it’s changing how people think. Searchers now expect instant answers without context. They rely on algorithms instead of human judgment. And with the rise of conversational AI like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Genesis, many are building emotional trust in a machine that doesn’t even understand truth. 

We are entering an era where people are more comfortable asking AI than asking an expert, and more inclined to believe what an algorithm says than to verify it with a professional. That shift has far-reaching implications for education, business ethics and even democracy itself. 

As AI continues to dominate digital ecosystems, the ability to discern credible information from fabricated noise is becoming a lost art. 

Accountability in the Age of AI

So who should be held accountable when AI gives harmful or illegal information? The companies who built it? The platforms that publish it? Or the users who act on it? 

In truth, responsibility lies with all three. Developers must design systems that distinguish between lawful and unlawful businesses. Search engine platforms must take greater responsibility for what their AI answers promote. And users, particularly in sensitive sectors like Thailand real estate, must develop critical awareness before making high-value decisions based solely on machine output. 

A Mirror Reflecting Its Maker

The strangest and most absurd part of this entire discussion is that this very article, about AI’s dangers, was almost entirely written by AI. That alone should make us pause. 

If AI can so seamlessly explain its own risks, it proves both its brilliance and its danger. Because if we can no longer tell where human thought ends and machine language begins, we may already be surrendering more of our decision-making than we realise. 

by Thai Residential Phuket Property Guide

This article is from the Thai Residential Phuket Property Guide. To download the 2025/2026 Guide visit ThaiResidential.com