YOU! Come here. Remember how we all wanted AI to make life easier?
For school assignments. Better emails. Faster code. Better writing. Instant answers to absolutely everything.
And it worked.
But somewhere along the way, something changed. We stopped thinking. We stopped Googling. We stopped trying to figure things out on our own before asking AI to do it for us.
And now? I’m starting to wonder if AI is quietly making us mentally lazy.
The Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About
Here’s what I’ve noticed in myself and in everyone around me:
We’ve stopped thinking first.
Got a coding problem? Ask ChatGPT.
Forgot a Git command? Ask AI.
Don’t understand a concept? Copy-paste the AI explanation without really reading it.
We’ve replaced learning with prompting.
Instead of understanding why something works, we just ask AI for the answer, copy it, and move on. We’re becoming really good at asking AI questions and really bad at figuring things out ourselves.
We trust AI outputs blindly.
How many times have you:
Copied code from ChatGPT without fully understanding it?
Used AI to write an email and sent it without really reading?
Asked AI for advice and just… did what it said?
I’ve done these, I can’t even lie. Multiple times this week.
What This Actually Looks Like
Let me give you some real examples:
Scenario 1: The Git Command You’ve Used 100 Times
Last night, I needed to undo my last commit.
Instead of thinking “oh right, it’s git reset -- soft HEAD~1" or even Googling it as I used to...
I just asked ChatGPT.
For a command I’ve used literally hundreds of times.
I didn’t even TRY to remember. I just went straight to ChatGPT because it was “faster.”
But was it? Or am I just training my brain to stop remembering things?
Scenario 2: The Developer Who Can’t Debug
A junior dev on Twitter tweeted: “ChatGPT wrote this function, but it’s not working. What’s wrong?”
Not “Here’s my code, here’s the error, here’s what I tried.”
Just: “AI gave me this, fix it.”
They couldn’t debug their own code because they didn’t write it. They don’t understand it.
Scenario 3: The Student Who Thought Agile Was a Frontend Framework
I watched this happen in real-time during a class presentation.
A student was presenting their project on software development methodologies. Everything sounded good until the Q&A.
Supervisor asked: “So how does Agile fit into your frontend architecture?”
The student, without hesitation: “Agile is a frontend framework...”
Dead silence.
The professor asked them to explain what they meant. They couldn’t. Just kept saying variations of “it’s a framework for organizing frontend code.”
They had no idea what Agile actually was. ChatGPT wrote the entire project, never bothered to understand it either.
The Consequences Are Real
Here’s what happens when you rely on AI for everything:
1. Your Problem-Solving Skills Atrophy
When you always have a crutch, you never learn to walk on your own.
You stop trying to debug. Stop thinking through solutions. Stop figuring out why something broke.
You ask AI.
And when AI isn’t available? You’re stuck.
Imagine you’re in a coding interview. The internet dropped mid-interview.
Suddenly, you can’t lean on ChatGPT for syntax you’ve forgotten.
Skill issues? Yes, and a dependence problem.
2. You Build Things You Don’t Understand
Ever copy a chunk of code from ChatGPT, paste it in your project, and it works… but you have no idea how?
Cool, your feature shipped.
But what happens when:
- It breaks in production?
- You need to modify it?
- Someone asks you to explain your code in an interview?
You can’t. Because you didn’t write it. AI did.
3. Your Memory Gets Weaker
Remember when you’d struggle with something, finally figure it out, and then remember it?
Now? We just re-ask AI every time:
- That Git command you used yesterday? Ask AI again.
- The array method you looked up last week? Ask AI again.
- The concept you had ChatGPT explain three times already? Ask AI again.
We’re not building knowledge anymore. We’re renting it from AI, over and over.
4. You Stop Being Creative
AI gives you answers. But creativity comes from exploring without answers.
From trying things that don’t work. From combining ideas in weird ways. From struggling and then figuring it out.
When AI solves everything instantly, you skip the struggle. And the struggle is where creativity lives.
But Here’s the Thing…
AI doesn’t make you dumb.
Your usage of it does.
Let me say that again: The tool isn’t the problem. How you use it is.
AI can make you smarter if you use it right.
How to Use AI Without Becoming Dumb
Here’s how I’m trying to fix this for myself:
1. Try First, Ask AI Second
Old habit:
Hit an error → immediately ask ChatGPT
New habit:
Hit an error → read the error message → Google it → try to fix it → then ask ChatGPT if stuck
Why it matters: You actually learn something. AI becomes a teacher, not a replacement.
2. Ask AI to Explain, Not Just Give Answers
Bad prompt:
“Write a function that fetches user data”
Good prompt:
“Explain how to fetch user data with error handling. What are the steps and why?”
Then write it yourself using AI’s explanation as a guide.
3. Don’t Copy-Paste Code You Don’t Understand
If ChatGPT gives you code and you don’t fully get how it works?
Ask it to explain line by line.
Or better yet: try to break it. Modify it. See what happens when you change things.
Understanding through experimentation > blindly trusting AI
4. Use AI as a Debugging Partner, Not a Solution Machine
Instead of:
“My code doesn’t work, fix it”
Try:
“Here’s my code and the error. What might be causing this? Walk me through debugging steps.”
You’re learning to debug, not just getting a fix.
5. Set Boundaries for AI Usage
I’m experimenting with:
- 30-minute rule: Spend 30 minutes trying to solve something myself before asking AI
- No AI for basics: If it’s fundamental (loops, Git commands, array methods), I force myself to recall it from memory
- Explain it out loud: After using AI, I explain the concept to myself. If I can’t, I didn’t learn it.
The Balanced Truth
AI is incredible when used right:
- Speeds up boilerplate code
- Helps you learn faster when you’re genuinely stuck
- Explains complex concepts in simple terms
- Acts as a rubber duck/brainstorming partner
- Catches errors you might miss
But it’s dangerous when you:
- Use it to avoid thinking
- Copy without understanding
- Let it replace learning fundamentals
- Become dependent on it for everything
The difference? Whether you’re using AI as a tool or as a crutch.
My Honest Take
I love AI. I use it daily. ChatGPT has legitimately helped me learn faster, debug quicker, and build better.
But I’ve also noticed myself getting lazier. Less willing to struggle. Quick to outsource thinking.
And that scares me.
Because the developers I admire? The writers who inspire me? The people building cool shit?
They use AI to amplify their skills, not replace them.
They know when to use it. And when to turn it off and think for themselves.
The Real Question
Here’s what I’m asking myself now:
Am I using AI to get better, or am I using AI to avoid getting better?
Am I learning faster, or just appearing to learn while actually understanding less?
Am I building skills, or building dependence?
I don’t have all the answers yet. But I’m paying attention.
The Bottom Line
The smartest people of this decade won’t be the ones who use AI the most.
They’ll be the ones who know when not to use it.
They’ll be the ones who:
- Struggle first, then optimize with AI
- Understand fundamentals before taking shortcuts
- Use AI as a teacher, not a brain replacement
- Know the difference between speed and understanding
AI isn’t making us dumb.
But if we’re not careful, we’ll use it to make ourselves dumb.
So, are you using AI to get smarter? Or are you letting it make you lazy?
Be honest. Because I’m still figuring it out myself.
What’s your relationship with AI? Are you noticing this in yourself too? Drop your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear how you’re handling this.
Liked this one? Hit that clap, share it, and follow me on X (Twitter) and on my Dev.to community. I post more takes on web dev, design, Web3, and tech.
Top comments (0)