Using AI to “think for you” can erode learning.

Top performers face the biggest learning losses from AI use.

Putting in effort along with AI can lead to greater learning.

A new study tracked 26,811 Chinese secondary school students over 30 months. The research measured how generative AI impacted their learning.

The good news: Students using AI saw homework scores rise 18% and completion time drop by about 30%. Better scores done faster. These are outcomes any educator should be happy to see.

The bad news: The same students saw their closed-book exam scores fall 20% within six months. Entrance exam scores dropped between 18% and 24%, with the greatest declines surfacing after roughly two years of AI use.

About 80% of student AI users demonstrated the results of outsourcing thinking. They finished assignments unusually fast. They scored well on homework. But then they underperformed when their AI tools weren’t available.

These findings also show up in the work setting. A 2026 survey by IT firm GoTo found that 39% of workers say their reliance on AI has already weakened their skill sets. Same dynamic. Different settings.

Which raises a question every parent, manager, and professional should consider: When AI does the thinking for you, what happens to your ability to think, and achieve your goals?

Effort Is the Critical Variable for Learning

Psychologists call it cognitive offloading. That’s what happens when you outsource your thinking to an external tool to save your mental energy. Using a calculator or setting reminders are all forms........

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