Researchers Say Using AI Too Much Will Deteriorate Cognitive Abilities

Did you know that about 60% of tasks done with AI help only need basic thinking? This scary fact comes from a study with 319 knowledge workers at Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University¹. As AI tools get more common, we worry: are we losing our thinking skills in our search for speed?

The study shows a bad trend with generative AI users. They feel they think less when using these tools, mainly for simple tasks¹. With 936 examples, researchers saw that 17% of people used AI because they were short on time or it was not their usual job². This means too much AI might hurt our ability to think and solve problems on our own.

This article will explore these findings more. We’ll look at how AI could affect our brain health. We’ll ask a big question: is technology making us better or worse?

• 60% of AI-assisted tasks involve limited critical thinking effort.
• 319 knowledge workers were part of the study assessing AI’s impact.
• Generative AI usage could lead to a loss of independent problem-solving skills.
• Workers reported a decrease in “muscle memory” for task completion due to AI over-reliance.
• About 17% of participants relied on AI due to time constraints or irrelevant tasks.
• Trust in generative AI tools influences users’ engagement levels.

AI is changing how we work, making daily tasks more efficient. It’s now common in many fields, helping professionals do their jobs better. Companies use AI for tasks like hiring, data analysis, and customer service. This lets workers focus on important tasks instead of routine ones.

This change raises questions about how it affects our thinking. What does it mean for our cognitive abilities?

319 knowledge workers say AI has greatly changed their work. They shared over 936 examples of how they use AI, showing its wide range of applications. But, there’s a catch.

Those who use AI a lot might think less critically. They might do less thinking because AI handles simple tasks. This means they focus more on supervising than doing the actual work³⁴.

AI tools are now key in many workplaces. 68% of business leaders plan to spend big on AI next year. They believe it will make their companies better.

But, there’s a downside. As AI use grows, people might make fewer decisions. This is because they rely more on AI for their work⁴⁵.

Teams from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University have done a deep dive into AI’s impact on work. They looked at how AI is used and how it affects our brains. Their goal is to show how technology changes our work lives.

Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University teamed up. They combined tech know-how with academic insight. Their aim is to understand AI’s effects on workers’ minds.

The study included 319 workers who deal with lots of information. They came from different backgrounds and levels of experience. This helped show how AI affects work in many ways.

As AI becomes more common, knowing how it affects people is key. In 2022, AI spending in education was expected to hit USD 253.82 million by 2025⁶. The study found that relying too much on AI might make us lazy and worry about privacy. It also showed that AI could make 27.7% of our decisions⁶.

These numbers highlight the need to balance AI’s benefits with our mental health.

More people are using artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which worries experts about our brain health. Studies show that too much tech use can cause *digital amnesia*, where we forget things because we rely too much on digital tools⁷. A big study found that those who use AI tools a lot each week have less critical thinking ability⁸.

As we rely more on AI, we think less on our own. This makes solving complex problems harder. It’s a big problem for professionals.

For example, people who always use GPS for directions are worse at navigating than those who don’t⁷. This shows how using AI too much can make us less good at solving problems. It’s a cycle that hurts our skills.

Oxford University Press calls this problem *brain rot*, showing it’s a real concern⁷. When we get too used to AI, we might not check our work as well. This can make us less smart over time⁸.

The use of AI and critical thinking skills shows us a lot about how we think. A study with 319 participants found that 1 in 5 U.S. workers worry AI might take their jobs. As we use AI more, our ability to think deeply might get weaker.

About 36% of the participants used critical thinking to deal with AI’s downsides. This shows a strong link between AI use and how much we think. Even though we use AI for speed, we think less deeply about things.

Many people use critical thinking in six areas: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. But those who trust AI more tend to think less than they could on their own⁹¹⁰.

The future of solving problems is worrying. Using AI regularly seems to make us less sharp. People who check AI’s work often show they rely too much on it, mixing doubt and trust.

Using AI all the time might make us think less on our own. It could also make us more likely to agree with AI’s suggestions, even if they’re not right¹⁰¹¹.

The more we rely on AI, the bigger the risks to our thinking skills. This includes losing the ability to think for ourselves and make decisions. We start to accept AI’s answers without question, which is a big problem.

This overconfidence in technology makes us less critical of the information we get. It’s a worrying trend that affects how we think and learn.

As we depend more on AI, our ability to think independently starts to fade. We might rely too much on AI for making choices, which stops us from thinking creatively or evaluating options well.

Studies show that 48% of researchers think we need to pay more attention to how AI is changing our brains¹². This could harm our ability to make good decisions, both personally and professionally.

AI makes many tasks easier, but it can also make us lose important skills. We might struggle to do things manually or solve problems without AI’s help¹³. This could lead to a big gap in our skills as we rely more on AI for everything.

Generative AI tools help make work more efficient. But, they also have downsides that can affect how well things turn out. A study with 319 workers showed interesting facts about using AI at work. They used AI 936 times, but 36% had to think critically to avoid AI problems¹⁴¹⁵.

AI tools often make things too similar, a problem called “mechanised convergence.” This happens because AI uses the same data over and over. It makes things less diverse. Workers worry that this might make them less good at solving problems on their own¹⁶.

AI changes how work is done, but it might also hurt creativity and thinking outside the box. People who trust AI a lot feel less effort is needed for tasks that need deep thinking. This means AI might make us less creative¹⁵¹⁶. It could limit new ideas that come from being more hands-on and creative.

User confidence greatly affects how we interact with AI. This is very true for knowledge workers who use Generative AI tools a lot. Studies show that those who trust AI more tend to think less critically¹⁷. On the other hand, those who doubt AI more often think more deeply about their interactions¹⁷.

This difference shows how AI can either help or hurt our thinking, depending on our confidence.

Confidence plays a big role in how we use AI. Knowledge workers often use AI to do less thinking, like finding information or creating content¹⁷. But, this can make them think less critically, as they might see AI as doing the hard work¹⁸.

Many workers feel they don’t need to think deeply about AI’s answers¹⁸. This is a big difference between how easy they think tasks are and how much they actually think about them¹⁸.

Knowledge workers often say they need to think less when using AI¹⁷. This can make them rely too much on AI, which can hurt their skills and thinking¹⁸. It’s important to know when to trust AI and when to question it.

This balance is key to keeping our critical thinking sharp, even as we use more technology¹⁹.

In today’s fast world, finding a balance between AI efficiency and cognitive health is key. As companies use more AI, it’s important to know when it really helps. For example, AI can make data processing and repetitive tasks faster. A big 68% of leaders plan to spend a lot on AI, showing they see it as a way to work better²⁰.

But, using more AI can make it harder to stay engaged in our work. A study found that trusting AI too much can make us think less critically, even when it’s important²¹. This is a problem, because AI can’t always replace human judgment, which is crucial in tough situations.

To keep our minds sharp and work well, we need to find a balance. Doing tasks ourselves, not just relying on AI, helps us stay creative and think critically. If we always rely on AI, we might lose the skills we need to grow²⁰²¹. The best approach is to use AI and our own judgment together for lasting success at work.

1. https://gizmodo.com/microsoft-study-finds-relying-on-ai-kills-your-critical-thinking-skills-2000561788 – Microsoft Study Finds Relying on AI Kills Your Critical Thinking Skills
2. https://www.yahoo.com/tech/relying-generative-ai-dulls-cognitive-145045026.html – Relying On Generative AI Dulls Your Cognitive Abilities, Microsoft Finds
3. https://futurism.com/study-ai-critical-thinking – Study Finds That People Who Entrust Tasks to AI Are Losing Critical Thinking Skills
4. https://au.news.yahoo.com/workers-using-ai-effectively-turn-173350927.html – AI might already be warping our brains, leaving our judgment and critical thinking ‘atrophied and unprepared,’ warns new study
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12. https://acritch.com/papers/arches.pdf – PDF
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14. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ai-making-us-dumb-222757645.html – Is AI making us dumb?
15. https://tech.co/news/ai-deteriorates-your-brain-study – AI Deteriorates Your Brain, According to Microsoft Study
16. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/uploads/prod/2025/01/lee_2025_ai_critical_thinking_survey.pdf – The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers
17. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/uploads/prod/2025/01/lee_2025_ai_critical_thinking_survey.pdf?ref=404media.co – The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers
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19. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/06/21/as-ai-spreads-experts-predict-the-best-and-worst-changes-in-digital-life-by-2035/ – As AI Spreads, Experts Predict the Best and Worst Changes in Digital Life by 2035
20. https://www.aol.com/finance/workers-using-ai-effectively-turn-173350119.html – AI might already be warping our brains, leaving our judgment and critical thinking ‘atrophied and unprepared,’ warns new study
21. https://www.yahoo.com/news/study-finds-people-entrust-tasks-164821102.html – Study Finds That People Who Entrust Tasks to AI Are Losing Critical Thinking Skills