Is AI Making Us Dumber?

AI is a hot topic when it comes to human intelligence. On social media, it’s often described as “the end of us” or blamed for a loss of intelligence. Popular posts on platforms like TikTok point to sources claiming AI is proven to negatively affect our brains.

CyberCorks Input:

This isn’t the whole truth, though there is some merit to it. Many news articles and social media posts leave out key details, or just share the most sensational part for clicks and likes.

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Negative Statements About AI

• "Using AI like ChatGPT leads to a lack of critical thinking skills."

  This can be true, but it depends a lot on how ChatGPT is used. MIT studies show that relying on ChatGPT to do your work for you has significant negative impacts. On the other hand, people who used ChatGPT to assist with their work, rather than do it all, saw greatly increased productivity. (Chow, 2025)

  
  

• "Using AI reduces creativity."

  As above, studies show that participants who submitted long papers written mostly by ChatGPT produced work that was very similar to each other, because it was almost entirely generated by AI. Those who used ChatGPT as a support tool produced more original work. (Chow, 2025)

• "Using AI reduces motivation."

  A study by Harvard found that using AI could reduce users’ motivation. However, the same study, and one from MIT, showed an increase in productivity when AI was used properly. (Chow, 2025)

  If you're interested in how digital tools affect our ability to connect and think deeply, Reclaiming Conversation by Sherry Turkle dives into the psychological effects of modern tech on human interaction.

Final Thoughts

Simply using AI doesn’t cause “brain erosion” or make you dumber. Studies show problems only arise when AI is misused, as a replacement for your own thinking, instead of as a helper. Using AI as a tool can boost productivity without the negative side effects.

CyberCorks Input: Use AI as a tool, not a crutch. A hammer can build a house, but only with someone to swing it. Think of AI as a second brain, not to do your work for you, but to help you work smarter.

Many social media posts focus only on the downsides of AI, often exaggerating the risks to attract attention. While it's true that technology is reshaping the way we think, the full picture is more complex, and more fascinating, than a few viral clips make it seem.

If you’re interested in how digital tools may be reshaping our brains, The Shallows by Nicholas Carr is a thought-provoking read.

References

Chow, A. R. (2025, June 23). ChatGPT may be eroding critical thinking skills, according to a new MIT study. TIME. https://time.com/7295195/ai-chatgpt-google-learning-school/