A recent study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has sparked a timely debate: does using AI, like ChatGPT, dull our critical thinking skills?

The research suggested that participants who relied on generative AI during writing tasks showed reduced brain activity in key cognitive areas. Naturally, that raised some red flags, particularly around its implications for learning, creativity and critical thinking, especially in children.

But what do business leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs working with AI every day have to say? We put the question to our community: How do you use AI? Do you feel it sharpens your thinking – or makes you a bit mentally lazy?

Here’s what they told us.

It’s all about how you use it

“AI can sharpen your thinking or make you mentally lazy. It really boils down to intention.” – Derek Peterson, CEO, ROAM Agricultural

Like any tool, AI isn’t inherently good or bad. The difference lies in how it’s used. Peterson draws a comparison to cars: while they reduce physical movement, they can also enhance productivity. AI, he argues, works the same way, offering efficiency gains if users stay intentional about maintaining their cognitive edge.

Lazy or liberating?

“AI’s not taking away my brain. It’s giving me breathing room to be more strategic, more creative, more human.” – Tracy Sheen, AI Consultant, The Digital Guide

For neurodivergent users like Sheen, AI isn’t about outsourcing thinking. Instead, it’s a cognitive aid. She sees AI less as a threat and more as a supportive tool, comparable to calculators or stored contact lists.

“Every major innovation has sparked the same worry: Are we getting lazy? Maybe. Or maybe we’re just making space to think differently,” she says.

Training the tool – and your brain

“We all have a choice right now. We can choose to be lazy or we can keep our human brains in the process.” – Leanne Shelton, CEO, HumanEdge AI Training

Shelton has taken the time to train ChatGPT on her brand voice, IP and customers so the AI understands her tone and goals. But she never uses its outputs without significant critical input.

“If your brain doesn’t hurt after working with AI, you’ve handed too much over to the bots,” she says.

Starting with a blank page still matters

“Creativity is a muscle that must be exercised. And AI could make for some lazy, unoriginal marketing.” – Kate Toon, Business Mentor, Stay Tooned

Toon believes the blank page still holds value. She uses AI to refine and polish but not to start. Beginning from scratch forces her to flex her creative muscles in ways that pre-written drafts don’t.

Thoughtful prompts equal thoughtful output

“By applying our own brainpower to the task of quality input and output, versus mindless instructions, those who continue to use and expand their brainpower with AI tools will stand out from the pack. Engaged brains, not lazy.” – Jenny Stilwell, Managing Director, Hanby Park Consulting

Stilwell likens briefing AI to briefing a staff member. It takes clarity of purpose, clear objectives and defined outcomes. When used with discipline, AI becomes a way to amplify human expertise – not replace it.

Question first, then generate

“Using AI to question our answers, not just answer our questions, is crucial.” – Bethan Winn, Founder, Human Skills Co

Winn emphasizes the importance of pausing before defaulting to AI. Her process involves stepping back, asking fundamental questions and interrogating assumptions.

“Human intelligence will change, but there will always be a place for critical, creative and strategic thinking,” she says.

Partner, not crutch

“AI sharpens my thinking when I treat it as a partner, not a crutch.” – Jonathan Reeve, VP APAC, Eagle Eye

Reeve uses AI to speed up research and refine messaging, freeing up time to focus on planning and customer engagement. But there’s a line. “If I lean too hard on it, asking it to think for me instead of with me, it starts to dull my edge. And the output becomes inauthentic,” he admits.

No shortcuts to strategy

“AI gives us a starting point, not a shortcut.” – Lindsay Nahmiache, Founder & CEO, Jive PR + Digital

At Jive, AI is used to generate initial ideas and improve workflows, but final decisions are always made by a human with a sharp eye and creative intent. In fact, Nahmiache argues, the presence of AI demands more critical thinking – not less.

AI as a cognitive companion

“I use speech to interact with AI as a powerful way to clarify my own thoughts. (Try it – it’s cathartic!)” – Anthony Cipolla, AI Lead, COSOL Global

Cipolla treats AI like a sounding board instead of a source of truth. His rule? Don’t present an idea unless he fully understands it himself.

“I never outsource my creativity or thinking to AI,” he says. “But once I’ve done the internal work, I turn to AI as a digital colleague to gain another perspective outside my own echo chamber. It’s extremely effective.”

Time-saving? Not always

“Used well, AI might not save time at all. But it lets me go further.” – Steven Lewis, Strategic AI Marketing Advisor, Taleist Agency

Lewis has built AI ‘advisory teams’ to critique his marketing work from different angles, which takes more time upfront but leads to deeper insights. In his world, AI is a tool for scale.

A new era of intelligence

“AI is the new computer. The new electricity. The new steam engine. Every technological advancement in history has faced this same hype and then worry.” – Sarah Spence, CEO, Content Rebels

CEO Sarah Spence points to the Gartner Hype Cycle to frame where we are with AI today: the dust is settling from the initial excitement, and we’re starting to grapple with its complexities. She believes we’re on the cusp of discovering the real, long-term benefits of this technology.

So … are we getting lazy?

If there’s one common thread throughout these responses, it’s this: AI can make us mentally lazy, but it doesn’t have to.

Used with purpose and intention, AI becomes a powerful tool for efficiency and creativity. But to make the most of it, humans must be actively involved – setting strong intentions, asking the right questions and continuing to think critically.

This article is part of The CEO Magazine’s new editorial series, The Impact Exchange, where we ask business leaders, entrepreneurs and industry experts to weigh in on the biggest challenges shaping our world – from AI ethics to inequality, trust in institutions, workforce shifts and more.

For your chance to be featured in our next story, follow us on LinkedIn and join the conversation. We regularly spotlight the most insightful and thought-provoking responses from our global community.