AI-fasting – Just what the doctor ordered

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This challenges the belief that while AI tools erode the abilities of novices, they do not affect those already skilled.

How many of us can still find our way without relying on the Global Positioning System (GPS)? How often do we rely on predictive text or writing tools instead of shaping our own sentences and ideas?

Over time, such habits can also chip away at deeper skills like writing and critical thinking, as we grow accustomed to bite-size information and automated assistance.

Commercial planes can technically fly themselves from take-off to landing, yet pilots still train rigorously and are required to fly parts of the journey manually – because in an emergency, only a skilled human can take control with confidence.

If we outsource too much, we risk losing not just practical skills (“knowing how”) but also deeper abilities like critical thinking, judgment and even moral reasoning.

ChatGPT users have diminished brain engagement and activity, with potential impact on cognitive development, critical thinking and intellectual independence. This suggests that “AI-fasting” may be necessary to prevent cognitive deskilling – especially among students, where overuse could stunt intellectual growth.

The same goes for moral decision-making. We can use tools to nudge us towards safer or more efficient behaviour, but genuine ethical choices often require weighing values, emotions and consequences. Over time, if we let machines decide for us, we risk losing our moral compass....Simple nudges, like speed cameras or energy-saving devices, may help with routine choices, but true ethical dilemmas demand reasoning that no algorithm can replace.

Qn: To what extent has technology had a negative impact on the skill levels of people? (Cam. 2010)