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Research indicates that excessive reliance on AI can lead to cognitive dependency
and technostress, ultimately weakening learners’ ability to engage in self-directed
learning. This phenomenon reflects a broader concern that AI, when improperly used,
may replace rather than support human cognition.
Cognitive offloading and the decline of deep thinking
A central mechanism underlying this issue is cognitive offloading—the transfer of
mental effort to external tools. While moderate offloading can be beneficial (e.g., using AI
to summarize information), excessive reliance reduces the brain’s engagement in higher-
order cognitive processes. Empirical studies have demonstrated a negative relationship
between AI dependence and critical thinking ability, with cognitive offloading serving as a
mediating factor.
When learners consistently outsource tasks such as evaluation and reasoning, they
engage less in processes that require working memory activation and executive control.
Over time, this diminished engagement may lead to a decline in analytical capacity and
independent judgment.
The erosion of productive struggle
Productive struggle—defined as meaningful cognitive effort during learning—is
essential for deep understanding. It involves grappling with complex material, making
errors, and constructing knowledge through active engagement. Neuroscientific evidence
suggests that such effort activates key brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex and
hippocampus, facilitating deep encoding and long-term memory consolidation.
However, when AI provides immediate answers, learners may bypass this critical
process. This creates an illusion of mastery, where learners perceive understanding
without having developed robust cognitive structures. Although AI can improve
academic performance in structured learning environments with appropriate
scaffolding, unregulated use may diminish the benefits of productive struggle and
hinder higher-order thinking.
2.3.2. Impacts on attention and cognitive engagement
Deep thinking requires sustained attention and tolerance for cognitive difficulty.
The convenience of AI—particularly instant response systems—may condition learners to
expect rapid solutions. This shift can reduce their ability to maintain attention on complex,
long-duration tasks such as reading academic texts or constructing arguments.
Behavioral studies suggest that learners frequently use AI for quick information
retrieval and content generation, reinforcing patterns of immediate gratification. Over
time, this may weaken attentional control and reduce persistence in cognitively
demanding activities.
Implications for memory formation
Long-term memory formation depends on deep processing, meaningful association,
and repeated retrieval. When AI performs substantial portions of the learning task,
learners may only superficially encounter information rather than actively encode it. This
reduces hippocampal activation and weakens the consolidation of knowledge into long-
term storage.
Importantly, AI does not directly impair memory from a biological standpoint.
Instead, it alters the conditions necessary for effective learning by reducing effort,
retrieval practice, and critical evaluation. Consequently, knowledge structures formed
under such conditions are often shallow and unstable.

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