AI Is Getting Smarter. Are We Forgetting How to Think?

We Are Training Artificial Intelligence. But Are We Neglecting Our Own?

We turn to AI for answers, algorithms for direction and screens to escape boredom. But when did we last give our own minds the chance to think?

I had just returned from a deep conversation with a dear friend about artificial intelligence and neural networks.

We spoke about machines learning from data, recognising patterns and solving problems that once seemed uniquely human....fascinating stuff.

And then, on my way back, I witnessed something so ordinary that most people would just ignore it....

A couple sat down for tiffin at a local restaurant, where I too sat down for a cuppa of coffee. Beside them was their bright little boy, perhaps four years old.

The parents handed him a mobile phone.

Within moments, the screen had the boy's attention. The adults enjoyed their meal while the little boy watched whatever was playing.

Nothing dramatic..... Just another family trying to get through an ordinary meal.

Yet one question I asked myself.....

"What was that little boy's mind learning to do?"

And what opportunities might it be missing now and in future if this becomes a habit?

The most sophisticated neural network we already possess....The Brain

We marvel at artificial intelligence....We ask it to write, calculate, explain, plan and solve problems. We use digital systems to remember things, recommend what to watch and increasingly help us decide what to do.

There is nothing inherently wrong with that. Used thoughtfully, technology can expand our abilities.

But here's the paradox....

*We are teaching machines to think. Are we still teaching ourselves to think?*

The human brain learns from experience, recognises patterns and connects apparently unrelated ideas. It draws upon memory, emotion, imagination and reasoning to navigate an unpredictable world.

Our natural intelligence is not merely the ability to produce an answer. It is also the ability to recognise which question matters and decide what is worth doing.

Yet how often do we give it the opportunity to practise?

" Remember when boredom had a different ending?"

As a child, I read almost anything I could get my hands on....books, newspapers, magazines....if there was something to read, I wanted to read it.

If I didn't understand a passage, I read it again. I was obviously curious. And I wanted to search for answers. Sometimes, I had to sit with a question before it became clear.

Looking back, I realise that reading gave me much more than information......

It trained my attention. It made me imagine places I had never visited, follow arguments, connect ideas and stay with something long enough to understand it.

*The process of learning was training the learner.*

Of course, the past wasn't perfect, and today's children have wonderful learning opportunities we never had. Technology can support discovery, too.

The point isn't about nostalgia....

It's that abilities grow through practice and attention. And that is one of the abilities worth practising.

The invisible training happening every day...

Waiting for food? Check the screen...

Standing in a queue? Check the screen...

Feeling bored for thirty seconds? Find something to watch.

Encountering a difficult question? Ask AI.

None of these actions is necessarily harmful on its own....but when every quiet moment is filled and every difficult question is answered before we attempt to think, we may be giving ourselves fewer opportunities to practise sustained attention, recall and independent reasoning.

I don't know what effect that single phone session would have on the little boy. One meal doesn't determine a child's future, and parents sometimes need practical ways to manage a difficult moment.

But repeated habits matter...

Children need opportunities to play, explore, listen to stories, ask questions and even experience occasional boredom.

Adults too need opportunities to concentrate, reflect and think independently, too.

*Are our daily habits strengthening the mental abilities we want to keep, or leaving them underused?*

Your brain adapts to what you practise...

Neuroscience offers a useful concept... *neuroplasticity*.

The brain can change its connections and patterns of activity in response to learning and experience. Practice can strengthen certain skills; abilities that receive little practice may become less fluent.

This doesn't mean that using a calculator destroys mathematical ability or that AI automatically makes us less intelligent.

The real distinction is between using a tool to extend our thinking and using it to avoid thinking altogether.

Imagine two people asking AI to explain a difficult subject....

One questions the answer, checks other sources, works through an example and explains the idea in their own words.

The other accepts the answer without examination and moves on.

Same tool. Very different engagement of the mind.

The difference isn't the technology....It's the habit of mind.

Why this matters to your Wellness...

Our ability to focus influences how we learn, work and solve problems. Our thinking shapes decisions about our health, relationships, finances and future.

Constant distraction can make it harder to stay with a difficult task or notice patterns behind a recurring problem. Poor sleep, chronic stress and exhaustion can further affect concentration and decision-making.

So the solution isn't to declare war on mobile phones.

It's to look at the whole picture....attention, sleep, stress, physical activity, human connection and the habits shaping our days.

Holistic wellness isn't only about what we eat or how much we exercise....It's also about creating the conditions for our minds to function well...

Five ways to reclaim your natural intelligence..

You don't need to abandon technology. You need to use it deliberately.

1. Think before you ask AI.

Spend a few minutes working through a question yourself. Then use AI to challenge and expand your thinking, not replace it.

2. Read something that makes you concentrate.

A book, a thoughtful article or an unfamiliar subject. Start with fifteen uninterrupted minutes. Aim for understanding, not speed.

3. Let boredom sit..

While waiting for food or sitting quietly, resist the automatic urge to reach for your phone. Observe, reflect or simply be present.

4. Protect your attention.

Keep phones away during meals, conversations and focused work. Give children regular opportunities for screen-free play, shared reading and face-to-face interaction.

5. Look after your brain's foundations.

Adequate sleep, regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, stress management and meaningful social connection all support cognitive health.

Don't aim for perfection. Start small and practise consistently.

The real question isn't AI versus the human brain

Artificial intelligence is here to stay. We should learn to use it well.

But our greatest advantage may not come from asking machines to do everything they can....

It will come from knowing when to use, and when to engage our own curiosity, judgement, imagination and wisdom.

I keep returning to that little boy at the restaurant....

I don't know what he will become. Perhaps he will grow up to build the next generation of intelligent machines.

I hope he does.

But I also hope, he experiences the joy of discovering something for himself... of asking a question nobody has answered for him yet... of becoming so absorbed in a book, a game or an idea that he forgets to check his phone.

Because the purpose of intelligence isn't simply to obtain answers. It is to understand the world, make thoughtful decisions and live a better life.

We are teaching machines to learn. Let us not forget to keep learning ourselves.

The next time you reach for your phone, pause for a moment and ask....

Am I using this tool to expand my mind or giving my mind another reason not to work?

I'm Dr. Sriranga. I believe every problem is a puzzle, and Sustainable Wellness begins when we recognise the clues in our bodies, our minds and our everyday lives.

If you want to understand the patterns shaping your health, sharpen your everyday habits and build a life with greater clarity and purpose, follow along.

**Your natural intelligence is worth nurturing. Start today, one thoughtful choice at a time.*