Do you think AI is making you lazier and less original?
MIT just dropped a fascinating (and slightly scary) study.
They had participants write SAT-style essays using:
ChatGPT
Google
Just their brains
What happened?
ChatGPT made it easier to get words on the page
But essays were “soulless” and all sounded the same
People couldn’t remember what they wrote later
Brain activity was low the whole time
The group that wrote without AI?
Higher creativity
More original ideas
Actually remembered what they wrote
As users of AI, this raises a big question:
Do you think AI is making you lazier and less original?
Is that something you’d want to fix, or are you okay trading effort for convenience?
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Replies
It depends how you intend to use AI.
Completing tasks without a little effort to add something your own? Then yes, AI makes you stupid.
For researching, learning new things/getting information, collaborative brainstorming? Then it helps you to upskill.
@busmark_w_nika Exactly! I am with you :)
@sania_khan10 🤝
@busmark_w_nikaWhat you’re saying is absolutely right - tools like this really help streamline our workflow and reduce a lot of manual hassle. But at the same time, we can’t rely on them entirely.
It’s important to have human oversight and judgment, especially when dealing with critical tasks. These tools are here to support us, not fully replace us - and when used wisely, they can really boost efficiency.
@sania_khan10 Collaboration with AI is the way!
@busmark_w_nika Absolutely agree. It’s an incredible innovation all in all, but there’s a fine line between using it productively and outsourcing the thinking part. It helps to stay self-aware so you form the right habits and keep your critical and creative thinking sharp.
@theideator That's why I do most of my things physically/manually but from time to time ask gpt to help :)
@busmark_w_nika That’s awesome. I like doing the deep creative product work myself (I’m a PM), but I’m sometimes guilty of using GPT for the easier tasks.
@manu_goel2 Absolutely, AI has been a game-changer for entrepreneurs. Also, congrats on your product, it looks cool! Looking forward to seeing it drop.
Nomadful
Last year Microsoft also released a study that claimed that employees who used Copilot at work were losing critical thinking skills. Just imagine... their own AI model. I'd say we really need to fix this, but the real question is, since AI is here to stay, how can we make models encourage our creative/critical thinking?
@manuelzarroca Yeah, I don’t get how major companies that rely on creativity and critical thinking are willing to trade that off just for speed without having clear policies. I think training on how to use AI to support your work should include specific context and examples.
Nomadful
@manuelzarroca absolutely!
The key is balance. AI shouldn’t replace your thinking , it should challenge it, extend it, or help refine it.
@boxexchanger That is ideal and in most cases if used right, it does!
Scade.pro
This is a new stage.
Like the invention of the wheel.
Did the invention of the wheel make humanity lazier?
I think there are pros and cons to everything. But it is definitely progress.
@maria_anosova Absolutely. The pros definitely outweigh the cons.
I second the idea it's all about the way you're using AI. Oftentimes you need to spend lots of time on creating a decent prompt to get the outcome you really want that looks and feels like you. Creating a prompt is not the same thing as doing the job itself of course, but it still keeps you sane I believe.
I reckon we've got to adapt to the new reality, that's for sure.
IXORD
Here you can split into two camps, on the one hand it helps people, on the other it harms them. And I can't give an exact answer :(
@ixord Fair point. I’ve tried being a founder before and having AI back then would have made me way more efficient. But being early in my career now, I worry it might slow my learning curve.
IXORD
@theideator I agree that in order to use something for automation, you need to understand how it happens yourself.
@ixord 100%
@csurita This is solid advice. I usually ask AI to help me weigh pros and cons, but I hadn’t thought of framing it as someone else’s idea. Going to try this approach, thanks.
AI making us lazy? That's like blaming spoons for making us fat.😅
The brain is a use-it-or-lose-it muscle - outsource all your thinking and yeah, you'll get flabby. But used strategically? AI becomes the ultimate gym spotter for your creativity.
The key is to never let it do the actual thinking for us - just the busywork so we can think better.
@rani_zagita Haha, love the comparison. But the spoon doesn’t shave a few hours off your workday XD
This is spot on. I used to journal daily with pen and paper. Since switching to AI note takers and summarizes, I barely remember anything I wrote.
@madison_marley Pen and paper is unmatched!
I recently ordered a whiteboard to ideate and sketch flows and it’s so much more fun and stimulating than typing everything out.
It's making my emails more cohesive I'll tell you that haha
@dzaitzow Haha, best use case imo
@theideator has to be - I see a ton of value for a v1 for copy and as an assistant for ideation
Honestly, I’ve felt both sides of this. AI saves time, yes but when I let it write for me instead of with me, the soul of the work fades. It’s efficient, but forgettable. The real shift happened when I flipped the workflow: I draft raw ideas first, messy and human. Then, I let AI sharpen not shape them. Creativity isn’t just output; it’s that internal tension, and AI can’t replicate that. So no, I’m not okay trading depth for convenience. Not in the long run.
@priyanka_gosai1 Absolutely makes sense. I take the same approach sometimes. I scribble quickly first, then write the prompt: “scan for grammatical and spelling errors” when I need to clean it up.
AI can both expand or limit the flow of creativity, it all depends on how you use it. In creative work, it is important to maintain balance and let AI only offer a small suggestion when you are stuck.
Great question, Ayush. I think AI can absolutely make us lazier if we stop thinking critically and let it replace our voice. But when used intentionally—as a collaborator, not a crutch—it can actually boost creativity. It’s all about how we use the tool.
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🚨 Quick update:
This post sparked way more conversation than I expected (and I loved reading through your takes).
We built Unlazy, a free writing tool designed to keep your writing human and your thinking sharp. It’s not about replacing you with AI, it’s about supplementing your process with context, accuracy, and clarity while keeping your voice intact.
We just launched on Product Hunt today 🚀
👉 https://www.producthunt.com/products/unlazy-writer
If the post resonated with you, I’d love for you to check it out, upvote, and share your thoughts.
Let’s keep the conversation going!