In a striking and thought-provoking commentary, Steve Babaeko, Group CEO of X3M Ideas, has raised a red flag on the unintended consequences of the accelerating adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), not as a job killer, but as a quiet eroder of the human mind’s sharpest edge: its ability to think.
Comparing today’s technological disruption to the Industrial Revolution, where machines replaced physical labour, Babaeko argues that AI is now relieving us of mental labour, creating a paradox where intelligence becomes more accessible, yet less practiced.
“AI is doing something both amazing and alarming, it’s relieving us of the need to think,” Babaeko wrote. “You want to write a letter, plan your week, generate a marketing strategy? There’s an app, a tool, or an algorithm ready to do it for you, instantly.”
While the convenience is undeniable, Babaeko warns of the creeping danger of cognitive redundancy. As AI systems continue to handle more decision-making, ideation, and communication, humans may find themselves slowly detaching from their most valuable asset, the mind.
In a compelling vision of the future, he predicts a time when society will pay to simulate mental effort, just as people now pay for gym memberships to compensate for a sedentary lifestyle. From brain-training apps to neuro-enhancement retreats, the signs are already here.
“The day will come when we’ll book cognitive reps the way we book spinning classes,” he wrote. “We’ll lie in pods, plug into machines, and pay to activate neural pathways we’ve neglected.”
The message isn’t anti-AI, but a call to intentionality, a reminder that in this Digital Renaissance, where tools are abundant and automation is seductive, the true differentiator will still be human creativity, curiosity, and original thought.
“The future won’t be run by the smartest people,” Babaeko concludes. “It’ll be run by the people who remembered how to think.”
As AI continues to reshape industries, Babaeko’s cautionary insight offers a powerful narrative: the most sophisticated machine ever created, the human mind must not be left idle in the age of artificial brilliance.
