As AI tools like ChatGPT become part of our everyday lives, experts worry we may slowly be losing our ability to think deeply. A recent MIT Media Lab study found that people who used ChatGPT for writing showed 55% lower brain activity compared to those who wrote without help. Even more alarming, many couldn’t recall what they had written later, and some even denied writing it. This suggests that relying too heavily on AI may weaken memory, attention, and critical thinking.

Psychologists say this isn’t new - earlier technologies like calculators and GPS also changed how our brains work. But AI is different because it mimics human thinking, making it easy to outsource creativity and reasoning.

Experts suggest solutions: build curiosity, ask better questions, create classrooms that encourage ‘brain-only’ activities, teach AI literacy, and set clear guidelines on when to use AI. With balanced habits, humans can stay sharp and use AI as a partner - not a replacement. The goal is to think with AI, not through it.