Is AI Making You Dumber? | Ep. 126

When was the last time you sat with your own thoughts, no phone, no AI, no shortcuts, and actually wrestled with a problem yourself?

Ethan and Justin tackle an uncomfortable truth this week: we've gotten so good at prompting AI that we may have forgotten how to think. Not surface-level thinking. Deep, messy, sit-with-it-until-something-clicks thinking. The kind that used to happen on long drives, in the shower, or during a walk with no earbuds.

They explore how "efficiency" has become the excuse we hide behind while handing our most valuable cognitive work over to machines.

But here's where it gets interesting: What if AI could actually help you think deeper, not just faster? The guys share a counterintuitive approach that flips the script on how we use these tools, plus a few old-school habits that might just save your brain from turning to porridge.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How to block out intentional thinking time that actually leads to breakthroughs
• How to use AI to prompt deeper thinking instead of replacing it
• How to recognize when "efficiency" is really just mental laziness
• How to create the conditions where your best ideas naturally surface

Questions answered:

• Are we losing our ability to think deeply because of AI?
• When does outsourcing cognitive work to AI become a net loss?
• How do you come up with things worth thinking about when your brain has gone on autopilot?
• What simple daily habits keep your mind sharp in an age of shortcuts?

Listen now, and make your next move your best move. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you got value from this conversation, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. It helps more people discover the show.