On October 14th, I premiered “Beyond Human,” a podcast series dedicated to exploring human excellence in the era of AI. I am joined by my co-host, Dr. Matthias Röder, the former Managing Director of the von Karajan Foundation and the mastermind behind the Beethoven Xth AI Symphony project.
Over the past few months, I have gathered research indicating a decline in human cognition linked to the extensive use of AI. In 2025, the MIT Media Lab conducted a study titled “Your Brain on ChatGPT.” This research revealed that participants who used ChatGPT for essay writing exhibited the lowest levels of brain engagement and performed poorly across neural, linguistic, and behavioural measures compared to those who either used Google search or wrote without technology. Over several months, ChatGPT users became increasingly complacent, frequently resorting to copying and pasting, with younger participants facing the highest risk of long-term cognitive impairment. It’s clear that prolonged use of language models diminishes effort, neural activity, and critical thinking, particularly affecting the developing brains of students.
In 2025, the SBS Swiss Business School conducted a “Cognitive Offloading Study,” which revealed a straightforward conclusion: Greater reliance on AI results in notable declines in critical thinking, attributed to cognitive offloading—the tendency to allow technology to handle mental tasks for us. The study cautioned that this effect is especially pronounced among younger, frequent users, potentially affecting memory, attention, and complex problem-solving skills.
Additionally, an August 2024 study found that accounting students who used language models experienced a significant reduction in critical thinking and professional scepticism compared to non-users.
There are many more studies of this nature, and I plan to regularly share these findings with my readers in the coming months.
I recognise that AI has the potential to enhance human abilities greatly. However, what conditions must be met for humans to benefit from AI rather than suffer negative consequences? Matthias and I chose to explore the essence of human excellence to initiate this discussion. Aristotle defined human excellence (arete) not merely as skill but as a combination of moral virtues—a balance between extremes—and emphasised that it develops through consistent practice and rational decision-making. He viewed excellence as an activity of the soul, asserting that “excellence is not a random occurrence, but always the outcome of strong intention, genuine effort, and thoughtful execution.” Clearly, excellence is not a divine gift; it requires considerable effort. Another Greek philosopher, Socrates, posited that human excellence is attained by fully realising one’s potential and living in alignment with one’s highest principles. This necessitates motivation (and even ambition) and resilience, which together are often referred to by contemporary psychologists as “grit” or a “growth mindset.”
Two leading researchers in this area are Angela Duckworth and Carol S. Dweck.
Angela Duckworth serves as a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where she introduced the psychological concept of grit, defined as “passion and perseverance for long-term goals.” She is the author of the bestselling book, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”, and developed the Grit Scale to assess this characteristic. Her research highlights the essential role of grit in achieving success and how it aligns with growth mindset theory in both educational and professional environments.
Carol S. Dweck is a professor at Stanford University and is well known for her theory that distinguishes between growth and fixed mindsets. Her influential book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success”, demonstrates how believing in the flexibility of one’s abilities cultivates resilience, persistence, and, ultimately, grit. Dweck’s research establishes a direct link between a growth mindset and enhanced grit, leading to better outcomes in various areas of life.
I firmly believe that when humans use AI as a tool to enhance their own capabilities—rather than simply delegating problem-solving to it—they can gain tremendous advantages. To leverage AI for excellence, two essential human elements are required. The first is mastery in a particular field, whether it involves composing music, conducting experiments, writing scientific literature, or designing educational strategies for students. The second is what I refer to as “perpetual curiosity,” which drives the human mind to constantly question, learn, explore, and make connections, regardless of fatigue or stress.
C.S. Lewis famously remarked, “The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while conditions are still unfavourable. Favourable conditions never come.”
In this AI era, the top professionals—armed with AI Literacy—will elevate their skills to new heights. Naturally, they won’t outsource the necessary 10,000 hours of quality training to a machine. Tune in to the episode for more insights on what excellence entails and the remarkable discoveries a skilled professional can make through the application of AI.