---
title: "How to Use AI Without Getting Dumber (My Opinion)"
description: "5 source-backed AI claims from How to Use AI Without Getting Dumber (My Opinion), with key statistics, context, and the original AI Adopters Club source."
url: "https://kbanc.com/claims-library/how-to-use-ai-without-getting-dumber"
source: "https://aiadopters.club/p/how-to-use-ai-without-getting-dumber"
date: "2025-06-21"
topics: ["strategy", "implementation", "business"]
generated: "2026-08-31"
---

# How to Use AI Without Getting Dumber (My Opinion)

By Kamil Banc | June 21, 2025

## Claims

1. **MIT Essay Study Design** (source summary): MIT researchers had students write SAT-style essays while wearing EEG headsets to measure neural engagement.
2. **Weaker Neural Engagement Found** (source summary): Students using ChatGPT showed weaker neural engagement and could not remember what they had written.
3. **Wrong Metric Measured** (Kamil's interpretation): The study measured word-for-word recall, which does not reflect how professionals create business value.
4. **Bad Implementation Risk** (Kamil's interpretation): Organizations rolling out AI tools without strategic training create the scenario the MIT study documented.
5. **Banning AI Falls Behind** (Kamil's interpretation): Companies that ban AI usage because of such studies will fall behind thoughtful competitors.

## Evidence

### Quote
> "The problem isn't that ChatGPT rots your brain; it's that most people are using it to replace thinking instead of enhance it." - Kamil Banc

### Key Statistics
- **3:09**: Duration of the audio narration version of the article embedded in the Substack post
- **51**: Engagement count displayed on the Substack post published June 21, 2025

## Context
The article responds to an MIT study in which students wrote SAT-style essays while wearing EEG headsets, with ChatGPT users showing weaker neural engagement and poor recall of their own writing. Kamil Banc argues the study's methodology measured essay-writing and word recall rather than professional knowledge work, making it irrelevant to business AI use. He distinguishes between using AI as a replacement for thinking versus as input for judgment, such as prototyping presentation structures or stress-testing recommendations. His practitioner guidance is to draft initial thinking first, define criteria before generating options, and use AI to surface gaps and model scenarios. For organizations, he recommends investing in strategic AI training rather than banning tools, framing thoughtful adoption as a competitive advantage.

## Source
- Original: [How to Use AI Without Getting Dumber (My Opinion)](https://aiadopters.club/p/how-to-use-ai-without-getting-dumber)
- Cite: kbanc.com/claims-library/how-to-use-ai-without-getting-dumber

## Primary Evidence
- [MIT study showing ChatGPT "rots your brain."](https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872) (arxiv.org; supports claims 1, 2)