Is AI making you dumb?

In this episode of Front Burner, host Jamie Poisson welcomes former CBC Washington correspondent Alex Panetta to discuss the profound impact of artificial intelligence on human cognition and critical thinking. Panetta shares his personal journey of integrating AI into his life—from building a 'living library' of his own notes to automating a daily briefing on global AI developments. While he acknowledges AI's immense utility in research, learning, and productivity, he also raises urgent concerns about cognitive debt, cognitive surrender, and epistemic debt—three emerging concepts from recent studies showing that overreliance on AI weakens critical thinking, erodes independent judgment, and undermines deep understanding. Drawing on research from MIT, Wharton, and Amazon, Panetta illustrates how users of AI perform worse when tested without the tools, especially when they’ve relied on them without intellectual friction. He proposes a personal framework for mindful AI use: evaluating whether you need to 'own' the knowledge and whether the time cost of doing it manually is worth it. The episode ends on a cautiously hopeful note, acknowledging that while AI may be more transformative than past technologies like Google or GPS, history shows that the full impact of new tools is often unpredictable—and that human agency, curiosity, and the joy of learning remain irreplaceable. Key takeaways include: 1) Use AI as a research tool, not a replacement for deep engagement; 2) Introduce 'cognitive checkpoints'—like class discussions or self-quizzing—to prevent cognitive surrender; 3) Prioritize reading and learning for pleasure, not just efficiency, to preserve the joy of discovery; 4) Be mindful of environmental and ethical costs when using AI; 5) Recognize that AI’s long-term effects are still unfolding, and our response must be intentional, not reactive.