The developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as the capabilities in reasoning, problem-solving, coding and multilingual skills we’ve seen from OpenAI and DeepSeek, have created significant controversy regarding effective teaching methods in college. For additional detail on this matter please follow the following link: a volatile teaching and learning environment. First, there were concerns about academic integrity such as plagiarism on essays. Next researchers investigated the promise of personalised learning opportunities fine-tuned to student interests and aptitude without undermining critical thinking and creativity, and now – cognitive offloading. This is not always a bad thing, especially if the offloading of redundant or tedious tasks can make room for more higher-order thinking.
According to ChatGPT AI can make humans less smart — but it doesn’t have to.
Here’s how AI could make us less smart:
- Mental laziness: If people rely on AI for basic thinking (math, writing, decision-making), they may stop practicing those skills, which can lead to cognitive decline — the same way GPS reduced our ability to navigate or calculators made arithmetic skills weaker.
- Reduced memory and attention: Constant access to information via AI can reduce the need to remember things or sustain focus, similar to how internet search already changed our memory habits; for more info on this topic please review the “Google Effect”.
- Shallow learning: If we use AI to get quick answers instead of wrestling with ideas, we may never develop deep understanding, critical thinking, or problem-solving skills.
But here’s how AI can make us more intelligent:
- Cognitive amplification: AI can offload repetitive tasks, letting us focus on complex, creative, or strategic thinking — similar to how writing enhanced memory or printing broadened literacy.
- Personalized learning: AI tutors, feedback tools, and adaptive platforms can help people learn better, faster, and in more customized ways than traditional methods.
- Knowledge access: With AI, anyone with an internet connection can tap into expertise that used to be locked behind institutions or expensive education.
Bottom line:
AI is a tool — like fire, books, or the internet. Whether it makes us less smart or more capable depends on how we choose to use it. If we over-rely on it, we risk intellectual atrophy. But if we engage with it critically and use it to extend our abilities, it can make us smarter than ever.
Would you like practical ways to use AI to stay sharp or support others in doing so?
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