Today, April 5th, we commemorate the Day of Awareness—an often-used word, yet complex in its definition. According to the Royal Spanish Academy (2025), awareness is defined as «the knowledge of good and evil that allows a person to morally judge reality and actions, especially their own» (Diccionario de la lengua española, 24th ed.).
The definition is complex from the start, as it presents a dichotomous view of reality—good versus evil. But what happens when modern technological developments challenge this traditional categorization? Such is the case of ChatGPT, which recently sparked controversy due to its high water consumption while generating images in the style of Studio Ghibli (La República, 2025).
This controversy highlights two main issues: on one hand, the unnecessary use of natural resources, and on the other, the violation of copyright, disguised as the use of a style “for reference.”
However, as previously stated, the question of what is good or bad remains up for debate. Many firmly defend the benefits this tool has brought. A clear example is its impact on language learning: thanks to its ability to simulate conversations, provide vocabulary, assist with pronunciation, and improve grammar, it has helped many expand their professional and social opportunities (International Center for Language Studies [ICLS], 2024). All this without requiring a major investment, offering flexible schedules based on the user’s availability, and allowing users to revisit content at any time and level.
To reflect critically on the tool’s use, the following question was posed directly to ChatGPT:
«I’m writing an article about awareness and would like you to talk about the conscious use of ChatGPT, listing the good and bad outcomes its use may bring.»
Here is part of its response (OpenAI, 2025):
The Good: Opportunities of Conscious Use
- Access to knowledge: ChatGPT can democratize access to information, simplify complex ideas, and support autonomous learning.
- Stimulates creativity: When used properly, it enhances writing, art, programming, and many other forms of creative expression.
- Support for organization and productivity: From planning schedules to writing emails, it helps streamline tasks and free up energy for more human or reflective activities.
- Inclusion and accessibility: It assists people with disabilities or language barriers, offering alternative ways to engage with the digital world.
- Emotional support (with limits): While it doesn’t replace human interaction, it can provide encouragement or company during moments of loneliness—as long as its artificial nature is understood.
The Bad: Risks of Unconscious Use
- Cognitive dependency: Excessive use may weaken skills such as writing, critical thinking, or problem-solving. Not everything should be automated.
- Misinformation: Although based on a strong foundation, ChatGPT can generate incorrect or outdated responses if the source is not verified. Blind trust is a common mistake.
- Lack of ethical judgment: It doesn’t always distinguish between right and wrong. Users must filter, question, and decide, as the tool has no conscience or values.
- Loss of authorship: In academic or creative contexts, using ChatGPT without disclosing it can create ethical dilemmas. Human input should be acknowledged in final products.
- Erosion of human dialogue: Replacing real conversations with AI interactions may isolate our emotions and reduce genuine human connection.
Conclusion
Awareness must reside in us—we should not project it onto artificial tools like AI. We must adopt a critical and political stance toward these technologies, demanding accountability from their developers. This includes mitigating environmental impacts, managing our personal data responsibly, and addressing the economic power these industries gain at the expense of increasing inequality.
We may not be able to eliminate this tool from the world, but what we can do is manage it consciously.
Disclaimer: This article has been proofread with the assistance of ChatGPT.
References:
Real Academia Española. (2025). Conciencia. In Diccionario de la lengua española (24th ed.). https://dle.rae.es/conciencia
La República. (2025, March 31). La tendencia de Ghibli colapsó los servidores de ChatGPT y derrocha litros de agua. https://www.larepublica.co/ocio/la-tendencia-de-ghibli-colapso-los-servidores-de-chatgpt-y-derrocha-litros-de-agua-4099315
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT 4o (version of April 2) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
International Center for Language Studies. (2024, May 29). 6 ways to use ChatGPT to learn a foreign language. https://www.icls.edu/es/blog/6-ways-to-use-chatgpt-to-learn-a-foreign-language
