Will GenAI Make Us Dumber? Probably Not.

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Fears that GenAI (Generative AI like ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) will make us dumber are greatly exaggerated. Did calculators make us dumber? Did computers? Sure, every new tool shifts what we practice, but history suggests we adapt, and often end up smarter in different ways.

Brain damage? (image credit: Gemini)


A commonly cited worry is that ChatGPT takes away independent thinking. Who has that anyway 😀? It’s true that you can lose elements of critical thinking if you hand over all the mental work to GenAI. Just as using a calculator without understanding math fundamentals can be a problem, using GenAI without grasping the basics of writing or coding could lead to skill loss. But for most adults, that’s not what’s happening.

Those who outsource all their writing or coding to ChatGPT usually didn’t enjoy those tasks in the first place. Generally, repetition doesn’t magically make us love a task we dislike, nor does it guarantee we get much better at it. I’ve been cleaning for decades, I still don’t like it, and I haven’t gotten any better at it ðŸ˜€. People who do enjoy writing or coding are still doing it—just with GenAI helping on the tedious bits, much like a calculator helps with long division.

So, for the majority, GenAI isn’t a brain drain; it’s a time saver. That extra time might go into creative work, problem-solving, or yes, scrolling TikTok and Instagram 😀. Either way, the net effect isn’t mass intellectual decline, it’s just another shift in how we use our brains.

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