Does ChatGPT make us dumber?

For me GPS definitely reduced my ability to find my way and the same should be true for AI. I think it could lead to reduced critical thinking. Frequent use of ChatGPT for quick answers may reduce opportunities to practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Also passive learning might be an issue. Relying on AI for information without actively engaging with the material could lead to superficial understanding. Easy access to information might reduce the need to memorize facts, potentially affecting long-term retention. The same for writing and research. Generating text or conducting research might diminish one's ability to perform these tasks independently. On the other hand it's true for almost all technology so we might have more headspace for other problems.

Pointing at tech and blaming it for degrading the human condition is refusing to take responsibility of your own predicament. (not saying anyone here is doing it - it&#x27;s a generalization!)<p>People who get &#x27;dumber&#x27; from technologies, like GPS mentioned by a commenter (nice example), but also auto-correct, intellisense and such helpertools, they choose themselves the path of least resistance, and least learning. Arguably, they are already dumb, as they choose themselves not to learn.<p>It&#x27;s all ok, i would say there&#x27;s no rule that forces people to learn or be smart. But if you do want to learn, avoid using technologies _constantly_ which hamper your learning.<p>In the end, be responsible for yourself, and don&#x27;t blame external things from preventing you to do things while you choose yourself to engage with them. (if it&#x27;s not by choice, it&#x27;d be a different case perhaps, but no one is forcing anyone to use AI....)

&quot;<i>I hope we will make AI push us to think more, not less. And through more thinking, we will create new, original approaches or solutions to old but very important problems.</i>&quot;<p>I want to be positive, but I am not as optimistic as the dear writer.<p>I fear that our ability of long-term critical thinking will suffer. We already see that happening in the age of dopamine-fueled, short-form content. The average attention span is becoming shorter but the ability to rationalize effectively does not become faster.<p>Adding AI into the mix, the next 50 years will be very interesting for the Gen Z world.

Education at degree level is a self learning process.<p>You read, you discover, you clarify, you expand, you think for yourself, you find your own way, you discover your own views, uncover your own theory on the topic you study. You own what you learn.<p>An integration of the accumulated knowledge.<p>Like the four stages of competence:<p>Unconscious incompetence<p>Conscious incompetence<p>Conscious competence<p>Unconscious competence<p>AI cannot replace this process.

I feel dumb already, nowhere to fall

Yes, in the same way that Socrates said the same thing about writing.

Using AI as a coach or mentor shapes your thinking process significantly because AI internal rules and censorship (which we don&#x27;t even know) impact its answers, your outputs and, consequently,... your future O_o