Are We Trading Convenience for Cognitive Decay?

The Real Danger of AI Might Not Be What It Does, But What We Stop Doing

Since you follow my content, there’s a good chance you’ve at least seen or heard an uptick in references to “research showing AI is destroying our ability to think critically.” Like so many popular trends, it’s tied to something concrete that far fewer have encountered or taken time to dig into. The whole thing is connected to new research coming out of Microsoft that’s making waves across the Internet, with loads of clickbait takes proclaiming we’re all on a fast track to mental atrophy.

Now, if I’m being honest, it’s a legitimate concern and one we shouldn’t just shrug off. The more we automate, the more we’re consciously offloading critical thinking and decision-making to AI. The more we do that, the bigger the question becomes: What are the long-term implications of relying on AI to not just do, but to think for us? If we aren’t careful, will we end up in some real-life version of The Walking Dead, technically alive but completely mentally disengaged?

Now, slow down before you freak out and trash all your AI devices. I shared some of my off-the-cuff thoughts in my usual video if you want to check it out.

However, I continued reflecting and wanted to share some of the deeper reflections that I think everyone should consider. Because, whether or not AI will technically make us “dumber” isn’t necessarily the right thing to be considering, regardless of what any research says. The more important question to be considering is, as humans, how should we choose to engage with it.

With that, let’s get to it.

Key Reflections

"For your own sanity and well-being, read more than the headline."

I know I talk about this a lot, and it goes without saying. However, based on the reactions, it’s clear we could all use regular reminders. Like usual, many have taken a single grain from the paper and ran with it, extrapolating conclusions that weren’t even in the research. AI will be the end of critical thinking! AI will permanently destroy creativity. It’s fascinating (and frustrating) to watch how quickly people latch onto a half-baked narrative without bothering to pause and validate the details.

Here’s the bigger risk, though. A lot of these takes aren’t just careless; they’re intentional. Plenty of people have hidden agendas, and slapping “research says” onto their position makes it sound bulletproof. They’re banking on selling you their product, capturing your data, or bringing you over to their tribe by exploiting the tragic reality you’ll likely never read the research. The internet is a breeding ground for misinformation, designed to take you somewhere someone else desires. This unfortunate reality seems to highlight that AI isn’t the only thing eroding critical thinking. AI is just making it easier.

So, before you let your emotions get the best of you, read beyond the headline. It might take a little more effort, but it’s worth it. Because, if we don’t stop and think about what we consume, AI isn’t the problem. We are.

"Research is a tool. If you don’t use it right, it’s useless. Or worse, it’s dangerous."

I’ll acknowledge that academic research can be intimidating, especially in a TikTok culture. It’s long, complicated, and full of technical jargon that the average person isn’t accustomed to sifting through. That’s why so many are comfortable accepting some random stranger on the Internet’s interpretation at face value. And yes, I understand the potential irony of me stating that, but that’s actually why I included this as a reflection. Because, if you don’t know how to read research properly, you’re either going to misunderstand it or let someone else twist it for you. And, neither ends well.

You have to carefully thread the needle of trusting the experts who conducted and interpreted the research while also personally validating what’s actually there. Even academic studies have flaws, biases, and limitations. Understanding them is as important as understanding the findings themselves. Here’s my recommendation: Jump to the end. Read the conclusions first. Then, go one page back and read the limitations. Those two sections will tell you what the researchers concluded and how much weight you should give it. Only after that should you go digging into the methodology and examining how they got there.

Oh, and the people who actually performed the study are the only ones who get to make conclusions. You can agree or disagree with them, but you don’t get to create your own because you skimmed a table in the middle. Otherwise, you’re no better than the clickbait headlines you hate.

"If you don’t use your brain, don’t be surprised when it stops working."

AI is inherently bent to enable our worst tendencies, so it’s foolish to pretend there are no side effects. If you allow it to do all your thinking for you, your ability to think will weaken; it’s that simple. In many ways, our brain is similar to muscle. You either use it or lose it. So, when you decide to stop challenging yourself, stop reasoning through problems, and stop engaging in deep thought, don’t be surprised when your cognitive abilities begin to atrophy. And, something we know about our function is that once it’s gone, getting it back is difficult, if not impossible.

That said, the real issue here isn’t AI. It’s our tendency to chase convenience and comfort. We’re quick to offload tasks, decisions, and problem-solving because it’s easier. And, what do you know? AI says, “I can handle that,” so we say, “Great!” Tragically, the more we do that, the worse the problem gets. As our cognitive skills dwindle, we become more dependent on the AI enabling it. And, that might not be the worst of it. We still don’t know the broader cognitive consequences. We’re already seeing increased cognitive decline in other areas, and AI is an accelerant.

So, let’s remember that while AI is a powerful tool, it’s not a replacement for human cognition. If we let it be, we’re choosing to make ourselves weaker.

"Not every thought deserves your brainpower."

After hearing the argument that AI can erode cognitive function, it’s easy to overcorrect. We can wrongly conclude that the best response is to avoid AI and manually process everything to keep our minds sharp. That’d be a mistake. Not all thinking is productive thinking. We waste ridiculous amounts of mental energy on things that don’t add any measurable value to our lives. We spiral on worst-case scenarios and ruminate on misinformation. Oftentimes, we’re running on autopilot without ever questioning why we think the way we do.

In our desire to feel important, we frequently fail to recognize how much of our daily thinking isn’t really thinking at all. Our brains are regularly operating on cruise control, reacting to our environments instead of reasoning. That’s why the goal shouldn’t be to resist automation altogether. Automation is great if we’re surgical about it. Some things should absolutely be automated. Some decisions should be offloaded. The key is being intentional about which ones. If you aren’t intentional, you’ll either let AI think for you or waste brainpower on things that don’t matter.

Automation isn’t the enemy; mindless automation is. The more intentional we are about the use of AI, the more we make AI work for us, not the other way around.

Concluding Thoughts

I guess my conclusion to the research is that whether AI erodes our brains or makes them sharper is a decision we each have to make. Right now, you have a choice. You could read this article, nod in agreement, and move on with your day, never giving it another thought. Or, you can do what AI can’t. You can think critically about it. Where does this impact your life? What patterns have you fallen into that might be making you more dependent than you realize? What risks do you need to mitigate?

And, don’t try to convince yourself you’re immune to the risks. Despite what you tell yourself, your natural tendency isn’t toward what makes you better. My worldview calls that sin. However, whether you like that word or not, I hope we can agree that left to our own devices, we don’t naturally improve. We decline. As a result, if we’re not intentional about how we engage with AI, we won’t grow stronger, wiser, and sharper. We’ll become weaker, slower, and more passive.

But, don’t fret. You don’t have to let that happen. You can be intentional. You can choose to engage your brain, challenge yourself, and think critically about the tools you use and the way they shape you. You might not like AI, but it's not going anywhere. If anything, it’s only getting more powerful. Thankfully, so are you if you choose to use it wisely.

So here’s my challenge to you: don’t just let this be another thing you read and forget. Take steps to be more intentional about how you think, what you engage with, and how you use the tools around you. Because, if we want AI to make us better instead of weaker, that responsibility starts with us.

With that, I’ll see you on the other side.