How artificial intelligence will make our brains slower

How artificial intelligence will make our brains slower

20 October 2025

After my post on how AI may destroy intelligence, my friend — the CEO of Blue Nap, an international data center focused on AI — responded thoughtfully on LinkedIn. I fear he, too, is trying to grasp my argument, which tells me I need to explain it better.

Our brain is “wired” by everything it processes. Learning and thinking are literally the act of building new neural connections. The more the brain is challenged, the more connections are formed between neurons. In short: stimulation strengthens intelligence.

But what happens when we let AI think for us? When we outsource memory, reasoning, and even creativity to machines, our brains are no longer pushed to make those connections. Neural activity decreases. The result? Fewer pathways, less plasticity — and ultimately, less intelligence.

It’s not that humans will perform better with AI assistance; it’s that our own brain activity will decline as we rely more heavily on it. AI can help us do things faster, but it cannot strengthen our minds.

I hope this makes my point clearer — especially for friends like King.

Miguel Goede