The Decibel Is AI making us dumb?
Dec 31, 2025
Joe Castaldo, a technology reporter for The Globe and Mail, delves into the repercussions of generative AI on critical thinking in education. He discusses a KPMG survey revealing that over 70% of Canadians use AI for schoolwork, raising concerns among educators about declining engagement and critical thinking skills. Castaldo elaborates on a study linking high AI usage to lower thinking scores, and explores how this reliance impacts student confidence. He also suggests effective strategies for integrating AI in learning while preserving essential skills.
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Student Using ChatGPT During Lecture
- Joe Castaldo describes seeing a student in an auditorium use ChatGPT to draft questions and miss what the speaker had just said.
- Professor Michael Gerlich noticed discussion quality decline and linked it to student AI use in class.
Use AI As A First Draft, Then Verify
- Joe Castaldo says he uses Gemini to rapidly build understanding and then verifies with human experts before citing.
- Use AI to accelerate comprehension but double-check facts with people or primary sources.
Correlation Between AI Use And Lower Scores
- Gerlich surveyed over 600 people and found higher AI use correlated with lower critical thinking scores.
- The link was strongest for people under 25, though causation was not established.