Cash et al., “Is AI making us stupid?”

A review of evidence across cognitive science, education, medicine, and human-factors research finds that fully offloading mental work to AI can weaken the acquisition and retention of the specific skills people stop practicing. The authors distinguish that evidence from broader claims about declining intelligence: effects on foundational abilities such as attention and working memory remain uncertain, while AI used as a collaborator, tutor, or source of feedback can preserve or improve learning.

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Analysis byAIImpactLab Editorial Desk

PublishedJuly 20, 2026

Reading time3 minutes

Why it matters

The evidence points to a design and management choice rather than an inevitable cognitive decline. Tools that replace practice can create dependence and deskilling, while systems that keep people solving, checking, and reflecting can increase capability without removing the work through which expertise is built.

Long-term effects across professions and developmental stages remain open questions, so the review supports caution without claiming that current AI use has already caused a general loss of intelligence.

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Phys.org — AI may not make us stupid, but relying on it could weaken the skills built through practice Trends in Cognitive Sciences — Is AI making us stupid?

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