AI is making people faster, but I’m not convinced it’s making them smarter

Lately I’ve noticed something weird. People are becoming extremely efficient at producing things with AI: * notes * emails * reports * presentations * code * summaries But at the same time, it feels like fewer people actually want to deeply understand what they’re producing. A lot of conversations now end with: “ChatGPT said so.” Not: “I checked the source.” “I tested it.” “I understand why.” And the strange part is that even people who dislike AI are being pushed into using it because schools, workplaces, and online culture now assume AI assistance by default. It feels like we’ve crossed from: “AI as a tool” to “AI as a cognitive crutch.” I’m not anti-AI. I use it too. It’s genuinely useful. But I wonder if we’re accidentally optimizing society for speed over understanding. Curious if others feel this shift too, or if this is just the normal panic every new technology causes.