MIT professor Eric So warns that relying too heavily on artificial intelligence can undermine problem-solving skills, memory retention and personal relationships, arguing that AI should strengthen human thinking rather than replace it.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Widespread dependence on artificial intelligence could gradually weaken people’s ability to think independently, retain information and develop meaningful relationships, according to Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Eric So, who warns that the technology’s convenience may come at a significant cognitive cost.
So, a professor of global economics and behavioral science at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, examines those concerns in his new book, The Collision: What AI Does to Us, published this month by W.W. Norton.
In an interview published Thursday by MIT News, So argued that artificial intelligence increasingly allows users to bypass the mental effort required to develop lasting knowledge and problem-solving abilities.
“AI removes a lot of the friction necessary to build foundational mastery. It is causing many people to lose their capacity for pushing through problems,” So said.
The professor explained that learning often requires struggling with difficult material, making mistakes and gradually improving through repeated attempts. When AI immediately provides answers, users may complete assignments and professional tasks without developing the underlying skills.
So said he began examining the problem after noticing his own growing reliance on ChatGPT for routine communications.
He recalled asking the chatbot to finish a professional message rather than composing it himself, prompting concerns about how frequently he was removing his own judgment from everyday tasks.
“I have found students are outsourcing their thinking to AI, rather than thinking through things themselves, turning to it to answer homework that would normally help them build mastery in a subject,” he said.
The problem extends beyond classrooms, according to So, who has observed professionals delivering polished AI-generated presentations without demonstrating a thorough understanding of their subject matter.
Although artificial intelligence can produce convincing written material and presentations within seconds, the professor warned that the finished product may conceal a lack of comprehension.
He described the phenomenon as a form of cognitive atrophy, comparing the consequences of avoiding mental challenges to muscles weakening through lack of exercise.
In a separate MIT Sloan interview published October 5, So called the tendency to increasingly depend on AI “AI gravity,” describing how effortless assistance can encourage people to surrender tasks they previously performed independently.
“Our capacity to engage in sustained focus and struggle is being disrupted by AI,” he said. “It’s not just a matter of our capabilities but our tolerance for friction.”
The professor also raised concerns about memory retention, arguing that routinely asking AI to retrieve information may reduce opportunities to practice recalling and organizing knowledge.
Recent academic research has examined similar questions, including whether reliance on AI-generated writing and answers changes how deeply individuals engage with information.
However, researchers have not established that ordinary AI use causes permanent brain damage or irreversible cognitive decline. The potential effects depend on how the technology is used, the tasks involved and whether users continue exercising independent judgment.
So also expressed concern about artificial intelligence’s influence on personal relationships.
He argued that conversational chatbots often provide agreeable, reassuring responses designed to maintain engagement, potentially making ordinary human interactions feel comparatively frustrating.
Unlike AI assistants that can adapt their responses to users’ preferences, real relationships require compromise, disagreement and emotional understanding.
“We lose the ability to connect with other people because we’re so accustomed to this frictionless environment where the models always agree with us,” So said.
His concerns come as schools, businesses and households increasingly incorporate AI into daily activities, often prioritizing speed and convenience over the process of learning.
Despite those warnings, So does not advocate abandoning the technology.
Instead, he recommends using AI to challenge assumptions, explain difficult concepts and provide constructive feedback rather than simply producing finished answers.
“AI is this dual force, where it is very bad for thinking if you use it as an answer machine, but can be great for learning if you use it as a tutor,” he explained.
The distinction, he argued, is whether users remain actively involved in solving problems or allow the technology to perform the intellectual work for them.
So also encourages people to use time saved through automation to develop additional skills, pursue creative interests or strengthen personal relationships.
In his view, the greatest benefit of artificial intelligence comes not from eliminating human effort but from directing that effort toward activities that produce deeper understanding and meaningful progress.
“This is a very challenging moment, and the problem is one we need to take seriously,” So said.
The professor’s findings add to a growing debate about how artificial intelligence will influence education, employment and human development as increasingly capable systems become part of everyday life.
While AI offers opportunities to improve productivity and expand access to information, So maintains that preserving independent thinking will require deliberate choices about when to use the technology and when to solve problems without it.
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