Artificial intelligence is reshaping how people think, Harvard University astronomer Avi Loeb said.
“Recently, I noticed that some people around me are starting to lose their cognitive abilities as a result of excessive use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms, such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini,” Loeb wrote in a Medium post earlier this month.
His remarks add to concerns that heavy AI use may erode independent thinking.
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Loeb said the effects are visible in everyday life and that academic testing may no longer reflect students’ real abilities. “In academia, the only reliable way of testing the cognitive abilities of students right now is by placing them in a Faraday cage,” he said.
Recent research measures the impact. Swiss researcher Michael Gerlich said in a 2025 paper frequent reliance on AI tools may weaken critical-thinking skills, creating what he called a measurable “cognitive cost.”
Gerlich found that heavier AI-tool use was associated with lower critical-thinking scores, with cognitive offloading helping explain the relationship.
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About a quarter of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 have used AI tools to help with schoolwork, according to a Pew Research Center report published in January, with higher use among Black and Hispanic teens.
The finding adds to concerns about AI’s rapid adoption in students’ daily academic routines.
Loeb wrote that the risks make it important not to treat AI as a substitute for the human mind. “Regarding AI as similar to the beauty of the human mind is just like putting lipstick on a pig,” he wrote. “I am much more excited about the potential to discover truly alien intelligence from another star.”
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This article AI Is Causing People To 'Lose Their Cognitive Abilities,' Harvard Astronomer Avi Loeb Says — The Only Way To Test Students Now Is In A 'Faraday Cage' originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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