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Overreliance on AI Dulls Thinking, Smart Use Boosts Learning

Over reliance on AI is poison to your brain. The MIT essay study and this Anthropic SWE study are pointing us at the same thing: if you delegate the brainy stuff to AI, maybe you gain a little speed, but you reduce your own comprehension, and in the MIT study’s case, even brain activity. Use AI to grow and challenge your understanding, though, and you can increase quality and comprehension. And I see this in my own research too. I ran a small study on a college campus this past month to see what students thought about AI and how that had changed over time. Their biggest fear was overreliance. “Thank god I didn’t have AI when I was in high school,” one said. “I feel like this generation of students are just getting so lazy, honestly, and not doing anything or thinking for themselves anymore - everything's so impersonal when you use AI,” said another. We need parents and teachers alike teaching our kids what high-quality AI usage looks like. And if you're a student who uses AI to expand your brain and capabilities, this is an unbelievable opportunity to step up as an educator of your generation.