Are AI tools making us less intelligent?

OpenAI’s ChatGPt and DeepSeek are among growing ranks of rivals as tech firms compete to lead in the hot field of generative artificial intelligence models – Copyright AFP Lionel BONAVENTURE

A study reveals that workers’ critical thinking skills are declining as they increasingly rely on generative AI tools like ChatGPT, raising concerns about the long-term effects of AI dependency on cognitive abilities. That is, AI can make us dumber if we use it wrong.

This relates to recent research from the firm ZapCap, which uncovers apparent hidden threats of AI. These threats, according to the firm, are the ones that could have lasting consequences for both society and individual well-being.

The Death of Critical Thinking 

The survey finds 68% of college students use AI for assignments, potentially creating a generation that struggles with independent problem-solving and evaluating information.

The Hidden Risks of AI Black Boxes

AI’s decision-making process often remains a mystery, even to its creators. These “black box” systems produce results without revealing how or why they make certain decisions.

This lack of transparency is especially concerning in fields like healthcare, hiring, and criminal justice, where AI-driven decisions can have profound consequences.

The End of Serendipity

When AI systems tailor our content based on what we’ve previously liked or viewed, they remove opportunities to accidentally discover new ideas or different viewpoints.

When everything we see is tailored to our preferences, we stop stumbling upon new ideas, diverse perspectives, or unexpected discoveries. This possibility concerns 88% of Gen-Z survey participants, who support tighter regulations on these systems, as per the ZapCap survey.

AI’s Quiet Impact on Human Creativity

AI tools generate creative content in seconds; but risk making creative work feel generic. While they may improve productivity and provide inspiration, they also risk making creative work feel repetitive and less unique. With 83% of creative professionals now using generative AI (from the survey), many worry human creativity is shifting from original thought to simply polishing AI-generated ideas.

Loss of Privacy

AI-driven surveillance and data mining are weakening personal privacy worldwide. A study shows 75 out of 176 countries use AI for surveillance, raising serious concerns about our control over personal information.

Hope

AI does not need to be bleak in terms of making humaity more stupid; instead, making AI’s reasoning processes more transparent and prompting users to verify and refine AI-generated content, a well-designed AI interface can act as our ‘thought partner’.

Jessica Bui, a spokesperson from ZapCap tells Digital Journal: “AI’s rapid advancement gives us both opportunity and responsibility. We must demand transparency from AI systems, equip people with critical thinking skills, protect creative authenticity, and defend privacy as a fundamental right. By acting decisively now, we can shape a future where technology enhances our humanity rather than declines it.” 

Bui concludes with: “Once AI surveillance becomes normalized across society, the ability to control who knows what about us may become a thing of the past rather than a fundamental right.”