How to nurture human thinking AND harness the efficiency of GenAI – can you do both?
When generative AI tools exploded onto the scene in the public consciousness, they had the fastest uptake in the history of any platform. ChatGPT crossed the one million user mark in just five days after it was made public in November 2022 and its growth and uptake are not showing signs of slowing down. More recently, we’ve seen challenger GenAI tools appear too, almost overnight other platforms have exploded, notably Chinese-owned DeepSeek at the beginning of 2025.
There is no denying that generative AI is rapidly reshaping how we work, lead and grow, but the challenge now is not just about keeping up anymore – it’s about how we, as humans, can stay consciously engaged. As more and more businesses embrace automation, do we risk slipping into cognitive autopilot, relying on AI to do the heavy lifting while our critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving take a backseat?
Our brains, wired for efficiency and energy saving, will naturally seek shortcuts, but there is a risk that an over-reliance on AI could dull our problem-solving instincts and limit our capacity for deep exploration.
As a business founder or leader, how can you encourage your teams to strike a balance?
In this article, Claire Koryczan, an advocate for technological advancement, debates the impact of GenAI on human thinking. Claire delves into how individuals can harness AI’s capabilities without losing their unique human edge, reimagining roles alongside systems – as opposed to being replaced by them. Exploring ways to nurture thinking, rewire habits, and stay sharp in an AI-powered world, Claire advises on how businesses can best leverage technology as a tool, rather than a crutch.
The new era paradigm
By definition, ‘Neuroplasticity’ is the brain’s ability to change its structure and function in response to stimuli. Concerning the workplace and a cycle of continuous learning, put simply, this is our brain’s response to learning new skills. The evolution and adoption of GenAI in the world of work has no doubt changed how we learn new skills – we can now learn faster, shifting away from memorisation and the skill of remembering facts in a move towards knowing how to ask the right questions.
With this cognitive offloading, we risk neglecting linear learning processes, only engaging with such tools when we need answers. The benefit of this way of learning method is that it makes us more agile and speeds up information gathering, but the downside is it limits the formation of deep neural connections – these are formed from hands-on experience and consistent effort over time.
Our brain has been designed to conserve energy because it only makes up 2% of our body mass yet requires 20% of our energy consumption. Therefore, the brain rewards us for predictability and certainty, keeping us in our comfort zone, so tools that default to autopilot will often appear preferable.
Working consistently in this cognitive autopilot manner heightens the risk of losing our problem-solving and creative thinking skills. To combat the risks of over-reliance on GenAI and retain critical thinking skills, it’s crucial to ensure conscious interaction with these tools.
The mobile phone parallel
Understanding our existing human relationship with technology demonstrates how GenAI could become the default go-to for knowledge-based work.
Our constant use of and reliance on smartphones has significantly influenced our cognitive behaviours (such as attention span), primarily by manipulating our brain’s reward system. Each notification or message triggers a release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, reinforcing the habit of frequently checking our online devices for social gratification.
Breaking the mould: Staying cognitively sharp in an AI-powered era
While it’s clear that GenAI holds huge potential to support businesses, more innate human-centred skills like empathy and ethical reasoning remain areas where human intelligence excels over AI – and should not be forgotten.
To break the cycle of habitual reliance on these tools, it is vital to encourage your teams to engage more mindfully with these Gen AI systems; strategies can include:
- Mindful participation – Encourage your teams to critically assess and question AI-generated suggestions. We know these tools are scraping information from the internet, so bias can, and often does, creep in. A direct example of this would be pushing GenAI platforms to ensure image generation that features people is representative. Questioning generated suggestions ensures individuals remain engaged and active in the decision-making process.
- Skill development and learning – Setting aside time to foster an environment of continuous learning and training ensures your people will develop and practice the relevant skills needed to fulfil their roles and develop, moving away from a sole reliance on AI’s capabilities.
Setting boundaries
Establishing clear boundaries within your business for AI use can help prevent a culture of over-reliance. Instead of passively accepting AI-generated outputs, reserving specific tasks exclusively for human execution from the offset can help maintain cognitive engagement, encouraging creative and critical thinking.
AI has amazing potential to automate tasks, streamline processes, and, ultimately, free up time for more high-value, strategic work, which is immensely valuable to businesses of all sizes. The concern, however, lies in how the technology is applied. Generative AI can be a powerful tool and collaborator, but the responsibility to commit to lifelong learning rests on how these tools are utilised by individuals. By staying conscious of our interactions with AI and challenging ourselves to think independently of the tools, we can ensure that AI supports our efforts as a helpful aid and does not become the authority. By actively encouraging your teams to engage in skill-building exercises, you can ensure that AI serves as a catalyst for your business growth rather than a speedy shortcut that could dampen your teams’ problem-solving abilities.
Contact us to learn more about the Neuroscience Advantage in the Age of AI and our leadership workshops on this topic.
