This article examines the growing tendency to rely on technology — and especially AI — not just as a helper, but as a surrogate for our own thinking. It argues that while tools were once designed to assist human intelligence, today those tools are increasingly doing the thinking for us: automating decisions, generating ideas, and shaping our modes of cognition. The key concern is that by off-loading our mental work, we risk diminishing our capacities for critical thought, creativity and self-reflection.
The piece explores several dimensions of this shift. One is cognitive off-loading: when technology handles tasks like memorization, planning or even reasoning, we gradually stop exercising the mental muscles that support those tasks. This may lead to what some researchers call “brain-on-autopilot” — where we accept machine-provided answers or outputs without deeper engagement. Another dimension is behavioral dependency: our routines become increasingly mediated by smart devices and algorithms, meaning our choices, attention and awareness are shaped by external systems rather than our own deliberation.
Importantly, the article does not argue for rejecting technology altogether. Instead, it highlights the contrast between using technology thoughtfully and letting technology lead. It suggests practices such as: taking time away from smart tools, deliberately doing tasks without assistance, questioning algorithmic suggestions, and preserving spaces where human thought and reflection are the default. The idea is to ensure that our tools remain under our control, not the other way around.
In conclusion, the author warns that the real danger is not that machines will think instead of us, but that we’ll stop thinking for ourselves. If we allow patterns of dependence to become entrenched, we may lose more than a skill or habit — we risk losing the very agency and rational capacity that underpin our humanity. The challenge, it proposes, is to remain the thinker, not the thought-processor.
