{
  "id": 1935405,
  "title": "Teachers Warn That Students Are Losing the Ability to Think as They Lean on AI for Everything",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/teachers-warn-that-students-are-losing-the-ability-to-think-as-they",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-19T12:49:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Futurism",
    "slug": "futurism",
    "url": "https://futurism.com/future-society/students-lose-ability-think-ai"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Across the United States, students are increasingly relying on AI models to complete assignments and craft full essays. While some of this behavior may qualify as cheating, many schools permit limited use of AI tools. This trend presents a troubling slope, with experts warning that any incorporation of automation into the writing process could jeopardize students' ability to think critically. Ronald T. Kellogg, a cognitive psychologist, told the New York Times that writing serves as a tool for thinking, honing various cognitive skills such as working memory, executive planning, and metacognition—the ability to recognize one's own thought patterns. Yet, Kellogg likens the mental strain of drafting an essay to the physical effort required to dig a ditch, emphasizing the intensive cognitive effort involved in the writing process. When AI is introduced to assist with this labor, it undermines the essence of writing and the development of cognitive faculties. An MIT study revealed that individuals who utilized AI while composing essays exhibited diminished brain activity compared to those who wrote without assistance, and these individuals struggled to recall any lines from their essays, with their brain activity remaining low even when they later wrote without AI support. Despite the inherent challenges and labor involved in writing, few would find pleasure in digging a ditch or engaging in such mentally strenuous tasks. However, Steve Graham, a writing expert from Arizona State University, asserts that removing any segment of the writing process from students' control incurs a cost. Following this warning, Dana Goldstein, writing for the NYT, questioned the implications of outsourcing the struggle of writing to technology. She contemplated how relinquishing part of the mental effort involved in writing could limit students' ability to perceive their own thoughts and ideas. Schools and colleges are currently navigating the issue of regulating students' AI usage, with some reverting to traditional methods like using pencil and paper for essays and oral examinations, while others are instituting bans on digital devices in freshman courses. Ivy League institutions such as Princeton University have even abandoned Honor Code traditions that previously allowed unsupervised testing and examinations. One potential silver lining is that many students are learning the hard way that relying on AI to analyze complex texts undermines their own educational growth. As one college junior noted to the NYT, \"You're not strengthening that muscle by actually analyzing these really hard texts. They're meant to be hard.\"",
  "summary": "\"If writing is thinking, then any part of the struggle that is outsourced to technology amounts to relinquishing some freedom to perceive.\" The post Teachers Warn That Students Are Losing the Ability to Think as They Lean on AI for Everything appeared first on Futurism .",
  "key_points": [
    "Students rely heavily on AI for assignments and essays.",
    "Experts warn AI undermines critical thinking skills.",
    "Ivy League schools ban digital devices in freshman courses."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}