I often catch myself asking a question I never thought I’d consider seriously: has AI made me more efficient, or simply lazier? I’ve lived and worked through both eras: the pre-AI grind of endless research, late nights, and problem-solving by hand, and the current world where a single prompt can deliver what once took me hours. That contrast has forced me to confront how much I’ve changed, not just in how I work, but in how I think.
When Work Demanded More of Me
Years ago, working on a report or researching a topic meant immersing myself in books, papers, and long articles. I would spend hours pulling ideas together, organising them, and writing drafts from scratch. There was a certain rhythm to it: flipping through physical books, cross-checking sources, and making notes on the margins.
I remember the deep satisfaction that came from finally understanding a difficult concept after struggling with it for days. Reading wasn’t passive. It was an active engagement with ideas. I had to think critically, make connections, and build my arguments piece by piece. The process was slow, but it sharpened my mind.
Then Came the Machines That Think With Us
Today, I can ask an AI to summarise, analyse, or even draft my thoughts. Tasks that once drained my time and energy now take minutes. At first, it felt like a gift. I had more time to focus on strategy and less time buried in details. But over time, I noticed something subtler happening.
When I used to write, I would wrestle with language. I would search for the right phrase, rethink a structure, or rewrite entire paragraphs. Now, I sometimes lean on AI to do that heavy lifting. And while it gets the job done, it also quietly removes the struggle that once made me sharper.
A Shift in How I Learn
Studying without AI meant I had to build mental maps. Every page I read forced me to remember, compare, and contextualise. I had to comprehensively understand every topic instead of just knowing surface details.
With AI, I can access explanations instantly. But that speed can make me more of a consumer than an active learner. If I’m not careful, I end up skimming instead of understanding, copying instead of processing, accepting instead of questioning.
Productivity or Passive Comfort?
There’s no doubt AI has boosted my productivity. It lets me handle more work in less time. But I also recognise how easy it is to let that convenience dull my instincts. The temptation to “ask first and think later” is real. It can turn what was once a deliberate craft into a series of automated steps.
This isn’t just about laziness in the traditional sense. It’s about losing the mental endurance that comes from wrestling with hard problems. It’s about trading depth for speed.
Choosing How I Use It
AI itself isn’t the problem. The problem is how easy it is to surrender too much to it. I’ve started being more intentional. When I write, I force myself to do the first draft without AI. When I read, I summarise in my own words before asking for any help. When I study, I challenge the answers I get instead of accepting them at face value.
I’m not rejecting technology. I’m only protecting the mental muscles that built who I am.
A Final Thought
AI can make us faster. It can make us smarter in some ways. But it can also make us complacent if we let it. I’ve lived through both sides, and I know what’s at stake. If I stop struggling a little, thinking a little harder, or questioning a little deeper, I may end up losing the very edge that made me capable in the first place.
Is AI making us lazy? I may never have a definitive answer. But if we choose to stay mentally engaged in a world built to think for us, we can preserve the sharpness that defined the pre-AI era.
