Is AI Replacing the Need to Think?

Are we fostering an entire generation that has no real need to think critically or persevere through challenges?

Between the rise of AI tools and the shift toward online schooling, kids now have constant access to instant answers. While technology can empower learning, it's also replacing the process of learning itself — the struggle, the effort, the curiosity.

As someone who values hard work and deep understanding, I'm genuinely concerned. If AI is doing all the thinking for them, and there's no one there to guide them through the why and how, what happens to innovation? To resilience? To independent thought?

I'm not anti-AI. I'm actually fascinated by its potential. But I do wonder if we're balancing access with accountability. Are we preparing students for the real world, or for a world where thinking is optional?

Would love to hear your perspective. Are we empowering young minds… or replacing them?