MIT's Eric So Warns AI Can Erode Thinking Skills in New Book, Citing 50% Low-Effort Student Queries
Updated
Updated · MIT News · Oct 15
MIT's Eric So Warns AI Can Erode Thinking Skills in New Book, Citing 50% Low-Effort Student Queries
2 articles · Updated · MIT News · Oct 15
Summary
W.W. Norton this month published Eric So’s “The Collision,” which argues broad AI reliance can cause cognitive atrophy by weakening learning, memory and problem-solving habits.
So says AI strips away the productive struggle that builds mastery, replacing iteration and failure with instant answers that make users more dependent on the tools over time.
About 50% of college-student prompts in one Anthropic study sought simple, low-effort answers, evidence So cites alongside academic and industry research on outsourced thinking.
Organizations are also reinforcing that pull: some now tie bonuses or promotions to AI use, while students adopt the tools early because they expect employers will demand them.
So’s proposed response is to use AI as a tutor rather than an answer machine, reinvesting time savings into deeper learning, skill-building or other cognitively demanding work.