ChatGPT will make you dumber – if you use it incorrectly. Lewis Z Liu outlines how to use the tech to make you more intelligent, not less

I’m writing this column just after visiting the Taj Mahal in India this past weekend. The experience, far more powerful in person than in photographs, stands as one of the most magnificent manifestations of human genius.

Unfortunately, the human species appears to be becoming “dumber”; or at least, our demonstrated mental faculties have been steadily declining worldwide since around 2012. Metrics around cognitive challenges, reading skills and quantitative skills have all worsened precipitously across the world. This decline aligns closely with the rapid rise of smartphone usage (2012 marked the year when global smartphone adoption surpassed 50 per cent), reduced engagement with reading and growing information overload, including from social media.

More concerning, however, is that this assessment doesn’t yet factor in the accelerating role of AI, which, based on current trajectories, will most certainly exacerbate this decline, negatively impacting human creativity and productivity. This raises a critical question: how can we leverage AI to enhance our cognitive abilities rather than diminish them?

Did calculators make us worse at maths?

When dining out, my companions often turn to me at the end of the meal, expecting that my “PhD in Physics from Oxford” qualifies me to quickly split the bill. Ironically, and to their surprise, I’m usually the worst in the group at........

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