Artificial intelligence is increasingly entering everyday life: education, work, personal decisions. At the same time, the convenience and speed of responses can cause new psychological challenges. UNN asked experts whether AI affects the ability to think, critically evaluate information, and a person's emotional state.
Is there a risk of reduced critical thinking?
Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence is rapidly integrating into everyday life and increasingly influencing not only the work process but also the way people think. Recommendation algorithms, chatbots, voice assistants, and AI-based educational platforms have already become common tools for millions of users worldwide, and according to Statista research, the global AI market is expected to grow by 54% annually.
At the same time, along with the advantages - automation, speed of information processing, and reduction of errors - certain risks may arise. For example, according to Masarat Initiative, the use of AI may lead to a decrease in critical thinking, the formation of technology dependence, and an impact on a person's psychological state, especially in the field of education.
Neurophysiologist, Doctor of Science, Rector of PZVO "Dobrobut Academy" Professor Nana Voytenko also speaks about the risks. According to the scientist, the impact of artificial intelligence cannot be unequivocally "christened" negative or positive, because everything depends on how a person uses it, and this issue becomes especially important in the context of education and the development of thinking.
The answer here is ambiguous. On the one hand, artificial intelligence can make the brain lazier, and on the other hand, it can help it work more efficiently. We can indeed rely on AI for some facts and free up operational memory for other tasks. This does not mean that we lose the ability to remember, we just start remembering something else.
According to Voytenko, the situation is similar to how humanity once got used to smartphones and calculators and now remembers fewer phone numbers or dates, but instead can better focus on more complex, analytical tasks. At the same time, uncontrolled use of AI can also have negative consequences.
If we do not train working memory at all and constantly delegate thinking, then over time the ability to remember and concentrate may decrease. Constant short requests form fragmented thinking. But if we use AI actively, that is, analyze, compare, ask complex questions, then the areas of the brain responsible for generalization and critical thinking are strengthened. AI does not change our brain by itself, it is changed by the way we interact with AI.
What happens to neural connections
The professor pays special attention to the formation of neural connections. According to her, the brain develops through the active use of certain functions, and without practice, these connections gradually become inactive, and this is especially important for children and adolescents, because their brain is still forming.
Neural connections are formed when we use them. If a teenager completely delegates analysis and decision-making to artificial intelligence, there is a risk that some important connections simply will not form. This is especially true for the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for planning, will, and conscious decisions.
While for adults, artificial intelligence can be useful for optimizing mental work. It can reduce routine workload and allow brain resources to be directed to more complex tasks. As an example, the expert cites the use of AI in medicine, where the tool takes on the technical part of the work, while the doctor himself has more opportunities to focus on analysis and communication with the patient.
The brain always strives to optimize energy consumption. If artificial intelligence frees us from routine, that's not bad. Some areas become less active, but instead, those responsible for analysis, attention, and complex decisions are activated. This allows us to develop other skills, such as creativity or strategic thinking.
Also, the professor emphasizes that the key problem is not artificial intelligence itself, but the way we interact with it. Complete trust in ready-made answers can form a habit of seeking solutions only externally and "reduce tolerance to complexity and uncertainty."
People lose faith in their own abilities
A separate topic is psychological dependence and confidence in one's own intellectual abilities. Coach-psychologist Mykola Oliynyk claims that with regular and uncontrolled use of AI, people can even lose faith in their own experience and ability to think independently.
AI can take over up to 70% of routine work. But 30% of the key - strategy, analytics, responsibility - always remains with the person. If a person begins to transfer these 30% to the system, faith in one's own mind gradually decreases. Therefore, AI is a good assistant, but a bad leader.
The expert explained that constant interaction with AI also affects the emotional state. This is especially noticeable in young people who are accustomed to quick answers and tolerate uncertainty worse. Additional tension is caused by the realization that neural networks can make mistakes.
When people realize that AI needs to be checked, filtered, and controlled, anxiety can appear. Because it becomes obvious: the system cannot be fully trusted, and responsibility still rests with the person.
Mykola Oliynyk also outlines clear signs of excessive dependence on artificial intelligence. They manifest in behavior and thinking and may remain unnoticed at first glance.
When a person constantly reaches for AI with any question, perceives its answers as more authoritative than their own experience, and loses the initiative to analyze independently - this is already a psychological risk. At this moment, AI ceases to be a tool and becomes an external support.
Artificial intelligence does not replace human thinking, responsibility, and life experience. It can be a useful amplifier, but only with conscious and critical use. As the expert emphasizes, strong people use AI as a tool, and not as someone who thinks and decides for them.
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