Humanity Working
Is AI Actually Making Us Dumber?
Matt joins Paul for the second episode in the “Seven Big Questions About AI” series to explore a provocative question: is AI actually making us dumber? They unpack concerns that AI may be changing how people learn, remember, focus, and think, including stories from people who find they can complete work with AI but struggle to recall or explain what they actually did. Paul also introduces the Flynn Effect and its reversal, exploring evidence that measures of human intelligence have declined across multiple countries and what broader societal and technological changes might have contributed. The conversation examines the difference between getting things done and actually learning , and how AI can decouple the two by allowing people to accomplish tasks without developing the knowledge and skills that traditionally came from doing them. They also explore the “utility argument” behind technologies like calculators and smartphones, where outsourcing certain mental tasks can free us to focus on more complex ones, and why AI’s ability to shortcut almost everything could be fundamentally different. Paul and Matt discuss why human intelligence still matters in a world increasingly shaped by AI, including the importance of people remaining capable of guiding, questioning, and controlling powerful technology. They also look at how the way and timing of AI use can affect our development, and why thinking through a problem ourselves before turning to AI can lead to richer work, stronger learning, and greater human agency. The episode ultimately asks whether AI will become a useful tool that helps us stretch our capabilities, or a crutch that gradually replaces the thinking and learning we once did for ourselves. Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .
