AI Paradox: Enhanced Efficiency at the Cost of Cognitive Decline?
Disclaimer: This article is not based on any scientific evidence. It is only a reflection of my own introspection and curiosity.
Am I alone in feeling that AI is making us increasingly complacent? A year ago, I felt empowered by ChatGPT and all these AI assistants/copilots flooding the market. But now… I sense a growing gap, a subtle shift towards intellectual lethargy in myself. Dare I call this feeling “laziness”? I have developed new habits, I sense my brain is working differently, and I increasingly delegate intellectual tasks to AI. Considering the brain as a muscle, I can’t help but wonder: is mine losing its strength? Is it atrophying? Even this post, which I had all the intention in the world to write without any kind of AI-powered copywriting tool, didn’t see the light of day on its own.
Numerous reports suggest a decline in GPT4’s responsiveness which is perceived as laziness by some. Others have reported that AI models started accepting tips for their hard work. Is ChatGPT getting lazier, is the prompter getting lazier, or are they both less invested?
[…] if you think even the most gifted engineer will outcompete an average engineer with an average AI.
The concept of ‘centaur chess,’ as depicted by Simon Wardley, resonates with me as a compelling vision of our near future. Compounding my intellect with AI definitely made me more productive, yielded better outcomes for my work, and helped me achieve more. Yet, I ponder: what if this synergy were to diminish and slowly fade past a certain inflection point?
In little school, we learned additions, subtractions, multiplications, and divisions without a calculator. “You might not always have access to a calculator in life, so you must know how to add numbers.” teachers told us. As it turns out, we always have access to powerful calculators at our fingertips. This raises the question: was learning basic arithmetic essential? Of course! I couldn’t imagine living with an underdeveloped brain all my life without basic skills and understanding of the world. Can the same be said about AI? Probably. I can’t see a world where AI becomes less accessible, less part of our everyday lives, and less part of fundamental decision-making and problem-solving tasks.
My reflections in this article are not rooted in science, but rather in intuition. We’re early in this AI-led renaissance, and I’ll be interested in seeing how things evolve and reshape our brain connections with scientific evidence. This is not a cry for help or a feeling my brain will turn to rock in the near term. Could this be a mere reflection of aging, or is it something more? At 37, I just passed my prime according to some studies — at least I had time to build expertise and intuition in my field. All this to say, I would support scientific research that looks into the long-term effects and influence of AI on our own human brain activity and cognitive abilities.
The lingering question remains: is the ‘centaur effect’ a fleeting phenomenon or a lasting paradigm?
