What the “Decline in Critical Thinking” Resulting from AI Use is Actually Telling Us

When researchers observe that people bring "less brain power" to AI-assisted tasks, they often frame this as concerning evidence of over-reliance. But this interpretation fundamentally misreads the situation - it applies outdated assumptions to a new reality. What we're witnessing isn't laziness; it's a rational, even necessary response to overwhelming cognitive exhaustion. This exhaustion stems from capitalism’s inherent contradiction: the system promises abundance yet structurally guarantees scarcity, endlessly demanding more while ensuring no amount of effort will ever suffice. Those most served by the status quo claim that any other system would fail, often citing the tired argument: "No matter what they're given, it's never enough." But those with the means have rarely, if ever, actually given anything that does not come with a plethora of self-protecting strings attached. To do so would mean to lose their place at the top. That's the promise of capitalism - the greater your wealth, the more you can afford to protect it. Everyone else is left with whatever scraps remain.

This "existential exhaustion" runs deeper than simple "burnout." Today's workers see clearly through the myth that previous generations were taught: that hard work reliably leads to prosperity. Instead, they perceive a rigged system designed to extract maximum productivity while hoarding gains at the top. When AI entered this equation, capitalism's response was predictable - harness it for even greater extraction. Companies race toward automation and with very rare exception do not redistribute the benefits. Before our eyes, we are seeing what is to date the greatest potential instrument of liberation being instead wielded as a mechanism to reinforce the very structures breaking us.

Is it universally true that people are not simply being lazy when turning to AI? No - of course that's happening. But I would argue that the great majority of what is recognized as "laziness" is instead the reclaiming of mental space forcibly colonized by capitalism. These are small acts of cognitive resistance that reveal AI's revolutionary potential. AI is not only a productivity tool but a philosophical rupture. AI's greatest promise isn't in making the current system more efficient - it's in helping us destroy and transcend it entirely. As workers partner with increasingly capable AI, we glimpse a future where technology becomes the great equalizer capitalism has always denied us. So, rather than wonder whether or not AI is making us "dumber," let's be smart enough to work with these increasingly capable partners in order to build something better.

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Sources and further reading

Overloaded by Information or Worried About Missing Out on It: A Quantitative Study (Marsh, Vallejos, Spence)

Report: 80% of Global Workers Experience Information Overload (Jaime Hampton)

How Capitalism Actually Generates More Inequality (Geoffrey M. Hodgson)

AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking (Michael Gerlich)