"Historically, intelligence has been tied to the person. We develop it through our effort and lived experiences. And while it may be shaped by talent and opportunity, it still feels deeply attached to the individual self. What's changing now is how AI assists cognition. It feels like, at least to me, that the language around AI is beginning to reposition intelligence as something purchasable on demand."
"AI changes the game because it doesn't just support our thinking; it increasingly participates in the cognitive process. The issue isn't just about performance; it's psychological. When a person grows accustomed to reaching outward before reaching inward, the center of gravity in thought begins to move and perhaps even loses its essential anchor."
Intelligence has historically been understood as a personal capacity developed through individual effort and lived experience. AI providers increasingly reframe intelligence as a utility service accessible on demand, similar to electricity or water. While tools have always extended human abilities, AI fundamentally differs by participating in cognition itself rather than merely supporting it. This shift carries psychological implications: when people habitually outsource thinking to external services before engaging internal reasoning, the center of cognitive gravity shifts. The risk extends beyond obtaining incorrect answers to losing the foundational thinking habits and judgment-building processes that develop through personal intellectual effort.
#ai-and-cognition #intelligence-commodification #cognitive-habits #human-judgment #technology-and-thinking
Read at Psychology Today
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