Is AI Making Us Dumber? How to Stay Smart in the Age of Automation

The Problem We are Not Talking About Enough

AI is saving us time. No doubt about that. But lately, I have noticed something off. Not in the tech, but in me. I would open ChatGPT to help write a brief, solve a design problem, or plan my week. Then I would catch myself struggling to remember things I used to know cold. Worse, I would feel uneasy making decisions without “asking the bot.”

I am not alone. We are starting to outsource not just tasks but thinking itself. That has consequences.

What the Research Says

The evidence is starting to pile up, and it’s not comforting.

• Lower Brain Activity: An MIT study found that people using AI tools like ChatGPT had significantly lower brain engagement than those using search engines or solving problems alone. The group relying on AI also had the worst memory recall and least original ideas.
• Decision-Making Weakens: A study across student groups showed that nearly 70% became more passive, and many lost confidence in independent thinking after long term AI use.
• Automation Bias: When we start trusting AI outputs without question, we stop challenging assumptions. This isn’t just lazy. It’s dangerous.

It’s not that AI is making us stupid. It’s that we stop practicing being smart when we lean on it too hard.

A Moment That Changed How I Think

A few months ago, I was leading a workshop. We were prototyping content ideas, and someone asked, “What’s the clearest way to explain this to users?” I froze. Normally I would riff a few options, sketch on the fly. But my brain went blank. And my first instinct? Open ChatGPT.

That moment shook me. It wasn’t that I couldn’t solve the problem. It was that I no longer trusted myself to try first. That is when I started paying attention. I looked at how often I used AI not to augment but to avoid thinking. It was creeping in everywhere. Emails, concepts, even what to eat. That’s when I knew this needed fixing.

How AI Affects Critical Thinking and Memory

Here is the core issue: our brains are lazy by design. If a shortcut works, we will take it. But when we let AI think for us, we skip the mental reps. That has real effects.

• Reduced Memory Formation: Writing, summarizing, debating. All of these build memory through effort. AI removes the effort. The result? We forget faster.
• Weaker Problem Solving: If you always ask for answers instead of wrestling with ideas, you don’t build the muscle to solve messy problems.
• Decline in Metacognition: We stop asking ourselves, “Do I understand this?” because we are just reacting to outputs.

Ironically, AI tools are strongest at the output stage. But when we use them during ideation or decision-making, we lose the very skills they can’t replicate.

The Creativity Trap

Some people say, “AI helps me be more creative.” That can be true. It is like having a creative assistant who never sleeps. But here is the catch:

• You risk homogenization. Many people using similar prompts end up with similar results.
• You lose the discomfort of the blank page, which is often where breakthroughs start.
• You might create faster, but you may not be thinking deeply.

Creativity isn’t just combining ideas. It’s sitting in the ambiguity and turning chaos into something clear. That process takes friction, not shortcuts.

What This Means for the Future

If we continue down the current path, we will see:

• A growing divide between AI literate critical thinkers and passive consumers of output.
• Reduced public ability to evaluate truth, nuance, and ethical complexity.
• Younger generations who never develop key skills like synthesis, discernment, or original ideation.

Imagine a future where everyone “creates” but no one thinks independently. That is not a sci fi dystopia. It’s a very real possibility.

How to Stay Sharp (Without Going Off the Grid)

You don’t need to ditch AI. But you do need to use it with intention.

Here’s what’s been working for me:

• Think First, Prompt Later: I now sketch ideas by hand or write a rough outline before asking AI to help.
• Use AI as a challenger, not a crutch: Ask it to critique your thinking. Debate it.
• Go analog more often: Journaling, mind maps, in person whiteboards. These engage different parts of the brain than screens.
• Practice memory on purpose: Try recalling yesterday’s learning before looking it up. It is uncomfortable but builds retention.
• Build AI free zones: For deep work sessions, I go offline entirely. No autocomplete. No suggestion feeds. Just me and the task.

It’s not about rejecting technology. It is about reconditioning your brain to stay active in a passive world.

My Final Thoughts

AI isn’t here to destroy human thought. But it is making it easier to forget how to think for ourselves. That’s why we need friction, silence, doubt, and even boredom. These aren’t glitches. They are features of the human mind that AI can’t replicate. They are where original thought lives. Use AI. Enjoy it. But keep your mind sharp. Because if you don’t, someone or something else will think for you 🙂