AI: Making Us Smarter or Dumber?

AI is everywhere these days. It’s your personal assistant, your life coach, and, let’s be honest, your unofficial therapist after a rough day. It drafts your emails, crafts your captions, and even finishes your sentences before you do. But as much as AI makes life ridiculously convenient, it raises an unsettling question:

Are we getting smarter… or just lazier?

We live in an era where intellectual effort is optional. AI can solve equations, summarize entire novels, and even generate so-called "original" ideas on demand. No struggle, no effort, just instant solutions. But here's the catch. The less we think for ourselves, the more our cognitive abilities deteriorate.The brain, much like a muscle, loses strength when it's not regularly exercised. If we continue outsourcing our thinking to algorithms,

we’re not evolving; we’re regressing.

A recent study highlighted a growing concern: our increasing reliance on AI is literally reshaping how our brains work. Neuroscientists are raising red flags, pointing out that the prefrontal cortex—the part of our brain that handles thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving—is becoming less active as AI takes over tasks we used to do ourselves. The implications are huge and not something to overlook.

1. Our Attention Spans Are Shrinking

Not too long ago, we could watch a movie from start to finish without feeling the need to fast-forward, increase the speed, or have a meaningful conversation without constantly checking our phones. Now, we struggle to stay focused even through a 60-second reel. AI-driven platforms have trained us to expect instant gratification, feeding us bite-sized content that keeps us hooked but prevents us from diving deep into anything.

📌 When was the last time you actually read an entire article without skimming? Or stayed off your phone for a full meeting? It's harder than we think, and the result is a loss of focus on anything that requires sustained thinking.

2. We’re Outsourcing Our Memory to Machines

Remember when we actually memorised phone numbers or found our way around a new place without GPS? Now, we let our devices do all the heavy lifting. This is known as digital amnesia, and it's weakening our ability to remember anything long-term.

We don't need to remember facts when Google’s right there, but that convenience is coming at a cost. The less we exercise our memory, the harder it gets to retain information or think critically. Our brain’s ability to learn and problem-solve weakens because we aren't engaging it the way we used to.

📌Try recalling your best friend’s phone number right now. If you can't, AI is probably handling that for you—leaving your memory muscles underdeveloped.

3. Creativity is Losing Its Spark

AI-generated content is impressive, but when you break it down, it's simply a fine-tuned version of existing concepts. True creativity comes from struggling, experimenting, and pushing boundaries. But when AI writes your essays, generates your ideas, and even makes your music, where does your creativity fit in?

We’re in danger of becoming passive consumers, not creators. Instead of flexing our own imaginations, we’re letting machines feed us ideas. Sure, AI can replicate art, but it doesn’t have that spark of true innovation. The more we rely on it, the less we challenge ourselves to think outside the box.

📌 Writers, musicians, and designers are noticing this shift. The more they use AI tools, the harder it becomes to come up with new ideas on their own. The question is whether these tools are boosting creativity or slowly eroding it.

4. We’re Glued to Our Phones, Losing Real Human Interaction

Let's face it—we’re all a little too obsessed with our screens. Whether we’re scrolling through reels, texting, or diving into endless social media threads, it feels like we’ve forgotten how to just be present in the moment. The digital world is a massive part of our lives, but it’s taking a toll on how we connect with the people around us.

Instead of having meaningful conversations, we’re often distracted by notifications or buried in our screens. Genuine face-to-face human interaction is becoming a rarity, and it’s hurting our social skills. Being constantly plugged in to our phones is pushing us into shallow, transactional conversations that lack depth and emotion.

📌 How many times have you been out with friends only to look up and realize everyone is on their phones, scrolling through reels or texting instead of actually talking to each other? That’s the new norm, and it’s making us less capable of holding meaningful, focused conversations.

We Need to Start Thinking Again—Before It’s Too Late

Look, I’m not saying we should go full Amish and throw our phones in the ocean. AI is a tool, and when used right, it’s powerful. But we have to stop letting it replace our own thinking.

Try actually solving a problem without Googling it. Read a book instead of scanning a ChatGPT summary. Use your brain—before it forgets how to function. Because if we keep going down this path, we won’t just be dumber—we’ll be replaceable. And trust me, AI might be smart, but you don’t want to live in a world where humans are just an afterthought.

At the end of the day, the choice is ours. Either we keep letting AI think for us until we become glorified iPads with legs, or we use it to enhance our intelligence without losing our ability to think.

What do you think? Are we still in control, or is AI turning us into NPCs?