The Hidden Cognitive Cost of AI: How AI Could Turn Us All into ‘Write-Nots’ (And Why That’s Dangerous)

AI Will Write for You, But Will You Still Be Able to Think?

“I'm usually reluctant to make predictions about technology, but I feel fairly confident about this one: in a couple of decades there won't be many people who can write”.?

“The result will be a world divided into writes and write-nots. So a world divided into writes and write-nots is more dangerous than it sounds. It will be a world of thinks and think-nots. I know which half I want to be in, and I bet you do too.” – Paul Graham

I thought of deliberating over Paul’s prediction for a few reasons. First, when someone like Paul Graham makes a prediction, we should give it due importance and think through it.

Second, if we have to think in decades, plan in years, and act in days, then what can we do today to be in the world of “writes and thinks” in the coming decades?

I flipped that question with the Inversion Mental model and asked - What should we not do or avoid doing now to be in the world of “writes and thinks” in the coming decades?

In answering that question, I came up with four cognitive pitfalls or the failure modes that would trap us in the world of “write-nots” and “think-nots” in the coming decades.

I thought of outlining those risks so that we are consciously aware and don’t succumb to them. Those four risks in using AI tools for writing are - the risk of hindering the evolution of thought while writing, the risk of missing internalization and deliberation while writing, the risk of falling for the illusion of “knowing” and finally the risk of outsourcing our thinking. Let’s unpack those.

The risk of hindering the fluidity and evolution of thought while writing

When we write or respond to a question, our thoughts evolve in real-time. Writing often requires reflection, reconsideration, and an internal dialogue where we reassess our approach or ideas.

As we process a question, we might realize that our initial answer could be incomplete, or we might come up with a new perspective entirely. This kind of dynamic, complex reasoning, and iterative thinking—where answers shift over time based on personal growth or new insights—can produce varied responses to the same prompt.

We might ask the same question a year apart and produce completely different Answers because we have learned new things, and encountered new experiences and influences, or shifted perspectives and biases.?

This fluidity in human writing—where answers change with time, experience, or mood—is a uniquely human trait that AI, even at its most advanced, can't replicate in the same way.

The risk of missing internalization and deliberation in “writing to think”

Writing is one of the activities where the process is more important or at least as important as the outcome and faster is not always the better.

The thinking, grappling with ideas, and the struggle to articulate our thoughts in the clearest and most precise way are central to the act of writing. When we skip this process or rush it, we risk producing something that is less thoughtful, lacking the depth and authenticity of the thinking behind it may be lacking.

When we write, the brain is actively working to structure and synthesize information. This process can lead to structural changes in the brain, strengthening the neural pathways involved in those tasks.

You can't see the things that are too close to yourself and writing is a process of distancing yourself from your own self. Writing is an act of self-reflection and detachment. This distance allows for clarity and insight. Writing to only produce written content is a very limited use of the intellectual process of writing.

The process of discovery and internalizing while writing is important in the process of “writing to think”. The process of deriving meaning from experiences often involves an internal dialogue. As we write, we weigh different perspectives, consider counterarguments, refine our ideas, organize complex thoughts, or argue a point. This back-and-forth is vital for critical thinking.?

When AI takes over the process of writing, the act of deliberation—questioning, refining, and challenging our ideas, introspection, deliberate effort, and self-discovery, is short-circuited.?

We should not use AI for the cognitive "heavy lifting" but can use it thoughtfully as a tool for generating new perspectives, coming up with better questions, stimulating deeper thought work, seeking feedback, and editing our writing without substituting original authentic thought work.

The risk of falling for the illusion of knowledge and “knowing”.

Do you know something or only its name? You realize the answer to that question through writing.

With AI tools, we risk mistaking familiarity with a concept for true mastery of it. AI tools can create a "false sense of knowing" if only an understanding of a ready-made output from an AI tool is mistaken for a deeper understanding.?

The illusion of knowledge arises when we mistake the ease with which AI tools provide information for a genuine understanding of the subject through cognitive and reflective processes that make knowledge meaningful and deep.

The risk of outsourcing our thinking

Shortcuts seldom serve us well and substituting the thought work in writing with an AI tool is an absolute insult to our thinking capabilities.?

The true understanding of the subject of our writing comes from the ability to engage with an idea, question it, challenge it, and see how it fits into a broader context. This often involves critical thinking, debate, and sometimes personal experience or reflection, none of which AI tools can replicate.

However good we are at Prompt writing, it is almost impossible to input all the nuances of the given context to an AI tool. We often lack the awareness to articulate the context, and to put things into words for the AI tool.

Without this thought work involved in writing, we can't claim ownership of ideas. Without a commitment to the underlying thought work, we could easily lose our original voice. AI is a guide, but not a replacement for true intellectual effort.?

TL;DR

The promise of AI in writing offers convenience and efficiency, but we need to balance it out with intellectual growth. Without this balance, we could easily find ourselves in a world of "write-nots" and "think-nots," where the ease of outsourcing thinking and bypassing the necessary intellectual effort erodes our capacity to engage deeply with ideas.?

We must resist the temptation to let AI tools think for us. Instead, we should use them as facilitators of deeper inquiry, reflection, and growth. Writing, in its authentic form, is not just about producing words; it's about engaging with ideas, evolving our thoughts, and internalizing the process of discovery.?

The act of writing to think is irreplaceable, and if we fail to protect it, we risk losing the very skills that will allow us to remain part of the "writes and thinks" world.?

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Please share your thoughts, perspectives, counterviews, and questions - What can we do today to ensure we are in the world of writes and thinks tomorrow?

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