After the AI gold rush, Canadians are deciding what should stay human

For the past two years, the dominant narrative around artificial intelligence has been one of rapid adoption. New tools have promised greater productivity, automation, creativity, and convenience. Businesses have invested heavily, governments have launched national AI strategies, and consumers have experimented with everything from chatbots to AI-generated content.

However, rather than asking what AI can do, many people are beginning to ask where AI should stop. A recent survey conducted by Hint App across 12,487 adults in North America (including Canada), Europe, Latin America, Australia, and the UK suggests that a growing number of people are deliberately setting boundaries around their use of artificial intelligence.

According to the survey, 44 percent of respondents have intentionally reduced their use of AI, while 42 percent no longer rely on AI for important personal decisions. Nearly half believe that emotional judgment and meaningful conversations should remain primarily human.

The findings do not suggest an anti-technology backlash; instead, the findings suggest a further step towards digital maturity.

Canada’s AI success story

Canada has been one of the world’s early AI leaders, producing pioneering researchers such as Geoffrey Hinton and helping establish globally recognized AI clusters in Toronto, Montréal, Edmonton, and Waterloo. The country’s new national strategy,

“AI for All,” places artificial intelligence at the centre of economic growth, productivity improvements, and public-sector modernization. The federal government argues that AI can improve healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and public services while helping Canadian businesses remain globally competitive.

At the same time, Canadian policymakers have emphasised trust, responsible deployment, transparency, and public confidence as essential elements of future AI adoption. Concerns around privacy, job security, democracy, and human wellbeing feature prominently within the strategy. As AI becomes commonplace, the challenge is no longer convincing people to use it. Instead, the challenge may be determining where its use genuinely adds value.

Research from Toronto Metropolitan University’s Social Media Lab found that approximately two-thirds of Canadians have experimented with generative AI tools. However, only a minority use such tools regularly, and significant concerns remain regarding privacy, ethical risks, misinformation, and critical thinking. The study also found widespread uncertainty about how AI companies collect and manage personal information.

Similarly, KPMG’s Canadian Generative AI Adoption Index found that AI use in Canadian workplaces continues to rise, with many employees reporting productivity gains. Yet the same research identified concerns about technological change, workforce readiness, and the need for greater AI literacy and training.

These findings suggest Canadians are both enthusiastic and cautious

The rise of “AI-free” spaces

One of the most interesting elements of the Hint survey is the emergence of intentionally AI-free periods. Nearly one-third of respondents reported building regular breaks from AI into their lives.

This mirrors broader digital wellbeing movements that previously focused on social media use, smartphone addiction, and screen-time reduction. People increasingly recognise that technologies designed to maximize efficiency do not always improve wellbeing. The question that arises is whether every aspect of life benefits from algorithmic assistance.

For example, many people appear comfortable using AI to summarize documents, generate drafts, organize information, or assist with routine tasks. However, far fewer are comfortable turning to AI for relationship advice, emotional support, family decisions, or matters involving personal identity.

This distinction reflects a growing recognition that some forms of decision-making involve empathy, moral reasoning, lived experience, and interpersonal understanding, areas where humans continue to hold important advantages.

Perhaps the most interesting survey result is that 36 percent of respondents felt that reliance on AI had reduced trust in their own judgment. For decades, technologies have helped humans extend their capabilities. Calculators assist with mathematics. GPS systems guide navigation. Search engines provide access to information. AI represents a further step in that progression. However, AI differs because it increasingly performs cognitive tasks that many people previously considered uniquely human.

When individuals begin outsourcing writing, decision-making, problem-solving, and interpersonal reflection, questions naturally emerge about skill retention and confidence. Canadian researchers and policymakers have increasingly emphasised AI literacy not simply as a technical competency but as a means of enabling citizens to engage critically with AI-generated outputs. The objective is not blind acceptance or rejection, but informed use.

The early years of AI focused on experimentation. Many organisations and individuals rushed to discover what AI could accomplish. Future discussions may focus more on governance, boundaries, and human oversight.