People Who Can't Do Anything Without Asking AI First Slowly Lose The Ability To Do 6 Things
voronaman | Shutterstock Although artificial intelligence (AI) sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, it's already here, and it's really affecting how people think and get things done. People who can't do much without asking AI first may find those same tasks much harder to do on their own.
Having an answer in seconds can make it tempting to let a chatbot take over before you've even tried. Because tools like ChatGPT are still relatively new, the long-term risks are hard to predict. However, research is starting to raise concerns. In one study, regular AI users described trouble remembering information and thinking independently. We don't yet know how this dependence on AI affects people over time, but relying on it for everything can mean getting far less practice with the skills below.
People who rely on AI for everything can struggle to do these things:
1. Think critically without being handed an answer
It may sound like fear-mongering to say AI affects people's ability to think critically, but reduced critical thinking is one of the most talked-about concerns surrounding AI. Critical thinking means looking closely at the information you're given and reaching your own conclusion, without relying on ChatGPT to tell you what to think.
In a study of 45 regular ChatGPT users, participants said their attention spans felt shorter and that they were less likely to think critically about problems. Some participants said they second-guessed their judgment and turned to AI for reassurance on even simple decisions.
2. Stay focused on something that takes effort
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We're in a time of instant gratification. Even before AI, instant gratification was on the rise. The Internet has gotten faster than ever; social media platforms focus on getting as many likes, views, comments, and shares as possible, and so much of what we want is just a click away. AI adds to that expectation of instant results by delivering answers in seconds, even though those answers aren't always accurate.
Brian Christian was part of a research team that found that after about 10 minutes of AI assistance, participants were more likely to give up and performed worse when they had to continue without it. In the study, one group used AI to solve math problems while the other did not. At first, the group given access to AI solved the problems more accurately. When researchers removed the AI, though, their ability to solve the problems accurately plummeted.
3. Remember information without looking it up
Trouble paying attention can also make it harder to remember things. Stanford researchers found a link between lapses in attention and poorer memory performance, showing how closely the two are connected. As our attention spans diminish, so, too, do our abilities to remember.
A 2011 study on the Google Effect found that when people expected to have access to information later, they remembered less of the information itself and more about where to find it. Having answers within reach can make it easier to look things up than to remember them.
This is happening with AI as well: many people ask AI chatbots basic questions that they already know the answer to or can easily look up themselves.
4. Keep trying when something gets difficult
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Because AI gives people instant gratification, tasks that once took hours, like writing an essay or a cover letter, can take less than a minute, and people are becoming less persistent. When people have to do a task without AI and realize how long it will take, it suddenly feels like the world is ending.
A study published in April 2026 found that participants were more likely to give up after AI assistance was taken away. The researchers suggest that getting instant answers may make people less willing to work through challenges on their own.
5. Stay motivated to do things
Getting yourself motivated is hard enough in a society run by AI robots in a capitalistic hellscape, but when you let AI robots run you as well, it becomes even harder. Much like persistence, motivation can suffer when people get used to AI finishing a task in seconds. When they have to do that same task on their own, spending hours on it can feel even less appealing.
A 2025 study published in Scientific Reports found that generative AI improved performance on assisted tasks, but when participants switched from working with generative AI to working without it, their motivation dropped by an average of 11%, while boredom rose by an average of 20%.
6. Trust their own judgment
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In a study of regular ChatGPT users, participants described feeling less independent as they relied on the chatbot. When asking AI becomes your first move, it can become harder to feel comfortable working through a problem on your own.
Ethan Mollick, an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, explains that letting AI solve a problem for you can mean skipping the thinking that helps you learn. Confidence comes from doing things yourself, not handing them off to something else.
Lyss Micalizzi is a writer covering human interest and psychology, with a master's in Literature and Culture, a bachelor's in English Literary and Textual Studies, and over six years of writing and social media experience.
