Previous Studies Also Found AI Makes Us Dumb
Scientific research is all about verifying results through repetition, so we’re happy to announce that this isn’t the first study that has indicated that AI use makes humans use their brains less.
One January 2025 study titled “AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking” found that “Younger participants exhibited higher dependence on AI tools and lower critical thinking scores compared to older participants.” Using AI is a form of cognitive offloading, the study found — it saves the brain from completing cognitive tasks itself.
In another study from February, researchers at Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University polled 319 “knowledge workers” to find that participants with higher confidence in AI tools held lower confidence in their own critical thinking skills.
AI tools may be able to supplement critical thinking. Use them too often, studies indicate, and they’ll replace it instead.
