Eroding a virtue: AI trains people to expect instant answers – and that’s bad news for patience

Patience is a virtue that researchers have linked to many parts of well-being. But it’s also something that needs a bit of practice and training – and can be undermined by instant, easy gratification.

By: Christian B. Miller, Wake Forest University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 4, 2026

Words: 1,152

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

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By Christian B. Miller, Wake Forest University

When I was growing up, teachers would assign research papers that required going to the library, or later, searching for relevant material on the internet. If the paper was going to turn out well, we students needed to patiently comb through piles of material, weaving what we found into a coherent argument that was well-supported with evidence.

Unbeknownst to us at the time, our teachers were giving us a …

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