I’ve been thinking about how the proliferation and advancement of AI could impact human cognitive abilities and our brain’s evolution over time. As people increasingly rely on AI tools to assist with knowledge work and cognitive tasks, I wonder what the long-term effects on human intelligence and cognitive capabilities might be.
Obviously, humans evolved both physically and mentally to adapt to the challenges of survival. Over time, as we developed new technologies and made life more comfortable, we lost some of the abilities we once had—like our physical toughness, hunting skills, or tool-making abilities. These changes were part of the natural evolutionary process, influenced by the inventions and advancements we created for ourselves. A recent example is how people over 60 or 80 years old, who grew up without calculators or computers, likely had better mental math skills than today’s kids who rely on calculators from a very young age.
With AI and related technologies, we’re facing a new kind of evolution—one that doesn’t just impact our physical capabilities, but our cognitive abilities. AI complements, assists, and in some cases, nearly replaces our ability to think critically and perform cognitive tasks. This raises questions about the future of human intelligence. Will we, as a species, become less intelligent or less capable of deep, critical thinking as we rely more on AI for these tasks?
For instance, the part of the brain responsible for cognitive tasks might become less active or less developed as AI takes over these functions. Before AI, and even before the internet, people had to read, study, and remember vast amounts of information to become knowledgeable and, in turn, more perceptive and intelligent. Knowledge was a practical challenge that humans had to work hard to attain. But today, knowledge is easily accessible, and with tools like ChatGPT, we can simplify and understand complex subjects much more quickly than we could before.
While this might seem like a positive development—allowing us to gain knowledge faster and more efficiently—I wonder if it could lead to a decline in our cognitive abilities over time. As AI handles more of the mental workload, will our brains adapt by becoming less capable? Could we, in a sense, become “Dumber” as a result of relying too much on artificial Intelligence ?
These are the kinds of potential implications that I think need to be explored. It might be worth monitoring and tracking changes in human behavior, cognitive abilities, and brain function as we continue to use AI technologies that assist, complement, and complete us in terms of gaining knowledge and performing cognitive tasks. Understanding these changes could be crucial in anticipating and addressing the long-term impacts of AI on human evolution.
