I’ve been hearing more and more about how relying on AI tools can lead to cognitive offloading that impairs critical thinking. It’s one reason why I’ve been thinking about a comparison I’ve heard from several people: using AI for writing is like using calculators for calculating. The argument is that calculators freed us from the work of calculating so we could focus on more complex tasks, and that AI can free up part of the writing process in the same way.
I understand the appeal of this argument, and I agree that AI can be useful for some tasks. But I want to gently push back on the comparison, because calculating is very different from writing.
Calculating involves defined operations in a set order, based on certain rules. Writing is far more nuanced. Yes, some aspects involve spelling and grammar rules. But many others require weighing multiple factors at once to choose the words that best convey your message. And the right words depend on who the reader is, what they already know, what they’ve experienced, how they feel as they read, what they hope to gain, and many other factors that add layers of complexity.
In other words, a calculator leads every user to one clear result, and AI leads users to many different results that may or may not be accurate and that can be interpreted in many ways. For example, if you ask AI to write an abstract for your manuscript, you may get a paragraph that sounds right but misreports the study question, results, or conclusions. And if you ask AI the same question again, you may get a very different paragraph. But a calculator will give you the same result every time.
This is what concerns me about cognitive offloading. AI outputs can influence our thinking, shape our word choices, and produce a draft that might sound “good enough” before we’ve realized what we actually think. A number on a calculator does none of that, which is why I don’t think the calculator analogy holds up.
So the next time you reach for an AI tool, pause to ask yourself whether it’s freeing you up to think more deeply, or whether you are allowing it to do the thinking for you. Your answer may change from one task to the next, and that’s okay. The goal isn’t to avoid these tools, but to use them thoughtfully and to stay engaged in the cognitive work that only you can do.
Have you heard a different comparison that you think is a closer match? I’d love to hear it.
Now onto this week's round-up...
Round-up
This week’s round-up included a list of annoying buzzwords, an article about a tool for assessing randomized controlled trials, a podcast about some limitations of using AI for writing, and two more picks. Subscribe to get the next round-up in your inbox.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
