Tuesday 10 / March / 2026
In Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare describes Olivia’s handwriting as a “sweet Roman hand” — a subtle tribute to refinement, education, and social standing. There was a time when handwriting did more than carry words; it carried reputation. A carefully formed script could influence credibility, shape professional prospects, and signal discipline of mind. Today, that distinction has largely disappeared. With fonts available at the click of a button, penmanship is no longer a measure of competence or character.
Similarly, arithmetic ability was once seen as a mark of intellectual discipline. Students spend years memorising multiplication tables, mastering formulas, and sharpening mental calculation skills—abilities considered essential for academic progress and professional credibility. Accuracy with numbers was a source of pride. Today, that discipline has largely been displaced. Even the simplest calculator performs complex computations in seconds, with a precision no human mind can rival. What once demanded patience, repetition, and mental stamina is now completed at the press of a button.
With Artificial Intelligence (AI)—technological progress is no longer confined to factories or offices; it is reshaping how we think, learn, and make decisions. Tasks once dependent on human reasoning, memory, and creativity are increasingly handled by machines. And as these responsibilities shift, the relevance of the human mind is no longer assumed—it is quietly being reconsidered. If handwriting faded and arithmetic was automated, are we now beginning to lose the primacy of human intelligence itself?
A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology warns that heavy reliance on AI-assisted tools may erode critical thinking and weaken independent problem-solving skills, raising concerns about gradual cognitive decline. Losing the art of handwriting or the habit of mental arithmetic was one thing. Outsourcing thinking itself is another. When machines take over tasks of recall, analysis, and reasoning, we lose more than effort—we lose practice. Reflection, sustained attention, and independent judgment are not automatic abilities; they are mental muscles strengthened through use. Without that exercise, long-term cognitive development may quietly suffer.
Do you know a colleague or a friend who no longer writes anything without AI—who drafts everything, from a one-line message to a formal report, through ChatGPT? Convenience, at first glance. Efficiency, perhaps. But look closer. He may be slipping into a quiet dependency loop—one where thinking is gradually outsourced and mental effort steadily declines.
When every idea is prompted and every sentence written by a machine, the brain is denied its natural exercise. Over time, this habit can erode critical thinking and weaken problem-solving ability. Instead of wrestling with complexity, the user skims the surface—accepting polished outputs without engaging with the reasoning beneath them. The result is a shift toward shallow processing, where information is consumed but rarely interrogated, and answers are accepted without accountability.
Amazed by AI’s speed and fluency, he may stop asking how or why a solution works. The struggle that once sharpened insight disappears. And with it, the creative friction that fuels originality. What begins as assistance risks becoming substitution. When imagination is no longer stretched and reasoning no longer tested, creativity does not explode—it quietly contracts.
Governments across the world are busy debating AI’s impact on the economy, employment patterns, and workplace culture. Policies are drafted, regulations proposed, committees formed—all in an effort to manage and streamline this technological shift. The external consequences of AI are being examined intensely.
But what about the change unfolding within us? Who is monitoring the quiet transformation of our own thinking habits, attention spans, and intellectual resilience? That responsibility rests with no policy maker, no regulator, no technology company. It rests with us.
So how do we protect ourselves from this sugar-coated convenience—the mental ease that feels productive but slowly dulls effort? The answer is not fear, nor rejection. AI is not the enemy of intelligence. Used wisely, it can sharpen the mind rather than soften it.
Psychologists suggest a simple principle: use AI as a partner in thought, not a substitute for it. Begin with your own brainstorming, outlining, or rough drafting before turning to AI. Let it refine and structure your ideas—but ensure you remain the author and final editor.
The thinking must start with you.
Treat AI as a learning companion. Ask it to explain complex concepts, challenge your assumptions, or present alternative viewpoints. In that sense, it can function as a modern Socratic tutor. But never accept its answers uncritically. Question its logic. Watch for inaccuracies. Train your mind to detect gaps and inconsistencies. A healthy scepticism keeps cognition active.
Focus not only on the output but on the process. Rather than asking AI to draft an entire report, use it for smaller, specific tasks that preserve your engagement. And resist the temptation to outsource skills you already possess. When we abandon abilities we have mastered, we invite intellectual laziness—and over time, cognitive decline.
The future need not be a choice between humans and machines. But it must remain a choice about how much of our thinking we are willing to surrender. Intelligence, unlike handwriting or arithmetic, is not a skill we can afford to let quietly fade.
Activate Intellect, Not Replace It — by AI.
* The writer is Associate Professor & Head of Educational Technology, Oman Dental College and former Chairman, BoD Indian Schools Oman
