Be wise when the AI threat looms large
In my days, going to the library and reading books are essential for acquiring knowledge. As AI rapidly erodes human’s cognitive abilities, we might need to rebuild the reading culture.
As an educator, the influence of AI on people’s learning is always close to my heart. A recently published report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task”, shed some light on this important question.
To investigate how AI affects essay-writing abilities, MIT researchers divided 54 participants into three groups: one used ChatGPT, another used Google Search, and the third relied solely on their own knowledge. They wrote essays over three sessions, during which brain activity was monitored using electroencephalography (EEG). Eighteen participants were then selected to take part in a fourth and final session. In this session, the ChatGPT group had to write without AI assistance, while the brain-only group was allowed to use it.
The study found that reliance on AI reduced brain activity. The ChatGPT group, accustomed to using AI for writing, struggled to complete their essays independently in the final session. In contrast, the brain-only group performed well when given AI assistance. EEG readings throughout the final session showed that the ChatGPT group’s brain activity remained low, while the brain-only group was fully engaged.
Each step trains the intellect, and each surrender to AI risks diminishing reasoning abilities.
The MIT report has sparked widespread attention and discussion. Since the advent of generative AI, there has been great enthusiasm about its potential to assist us in all aspects of work and personal life. However, this research reveals that while generative AI can provide students with quick drafts requiring minimal input, it also deprives them of the opportunity to think critically and write independently. Writing is an intellectual process involving recalling relevant information, clarifying issues, articulating arguments, strengthening points with appropriate rhetorical style, and drawing on personal experiences to engage readers. Each step trains the intellect, and each surrender to AI risks diminishing reasoning abilities.
Despite awareness of these negative implications, the allure of AI is difficult for students to resist. Professor Michael Berry from the University of California, Los Angeles, a renowned scholar in Chinese Studies, notes that students increasingly avoid reading and writing, instead submitting AI-generated essays that tend to be predictable, repetitive, and inaccurate. While AI tools may improve short-term performance, offloading cognitive responsibilities to AI means forfeiting the chance to learn and think independently. This addictive use and overreliance on AI promotes a “metacognitive laziness” among users. This is a serious challenge for the higher education sector.
Is AI a magician, imparting knowledge to us with a wave of a wand? Or is it only an illusion that corrodes our attention span and destroy our ability to understand, learn, and argue?
How can we prevent brainpower from being eroded by AI? How can we strike a balance between using technological assistance and exercising our own intellect during the learning process? These are difficult questions without easy answers. I think, we as educators should help students rediscover the joy of learning. Thousands of theories exists on effective learning, but the core remains simple: learners must find joy in acquiring new knowledge and ideas. Educators should spark curiosity by connecting learning to their lives, creating engaging activities, providing positive feedback, and celebrating small successes.
Faced with the such severe challenges posed by AI, our colleagues at FLASS do not succumb. Instead, they innovate to stimulate learning. I congratulate Dr Tiffany Bai Shurui from the Department of Mathematics and Information Technology and Dr Chong Yee Ling from the Department of Science and Environmental Studies (SES) for receiving the President’s Awards for Outstanding Performance in Teaching 2024/25. Dr Bai’s DIGA teaching model and Dr Chong’s SPARK framework encourage students to become proactive learners. Like many FLASS scholars, they remain committed to nurturing the next generation, reassuring us that good teachers are irreplaceable in knowledge transmission.
A passion for teaching must be paired with knowledge and insight. As academics, we have a duty to conduct rigorous research and stay abreast of developments in our fields. For many years, Dr Anita Chan Kit-wa from the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies has devoted herself to gender, family and migration studies. In this edition, she explains how a gender-sensitive perspective empowers us to better understand gender dynamics, and outlines the crucial steps towards genuine gender equality.
Wong Ming-hung and Dr Chan Man-ho, two scientists from SES, were recently recognised for their outstanding achievements and significant contributions to their disciplines. Professor Wong’s pioneering work in ecology and environmental science earned him an honour from the Russian Academy of Sciences, while Dr Chan’s persistent research on dark matter and black holes has been greatly appreciated by his peers in astronomy. Whether in social sciences or natural sciences, they serve as role models of academic excellence.
Professor Keith Ho Wing-kei, Head of SES, is a distinguished scholar in chemistry and environmental research. In this issue’s feature story, he discusses the objectives behind the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the University’s long-term strategy for achieving them. He also shares his vision for a sustainable and equitable world.
Beyond diminishing learning ability, AI also affects interpersonal relationships. Some individuals become so attached to AI chatbots that they find interacting with AI more fulfilling than with real people. This is deeply concerning. Dr Anna Wong from the Department of Health and Physical Education reminds us that humanity has developed a wealth of cultural resources, providing better pathways to happiness and well-being. As a scholar specialising in well-being, she reveals how music has transformed her, cultivating her capacity for listening, introspection, and deeper understanding. Her article shows how music consoles people, helps them connect with their inner resources, and enable self-expression.
Over recent months, FLASS has continued to facilitate idea exchange through various seminars. SSPS and AspirE co-hosted an international conference on transnational migration in March. We also held the biannual Faculty Postgraduate Seminar in April. In addition, our four departments organised numerous workshops and lectures featuring local and international experts who shared insights on finance, health education, STEM education, AI and educational technology. These activities are covered in this newsletter.
To survive the challenges presented by AI, we must find ways to preserve human intelligence. Critical reading and writing, problem-solving, engaging in thoughtful discussions, and participating in other active learning activities are proven methods to keep our minds sharp and resilient.
Professor Geoffrey Hinton, a 2024 Nobel laureate in Physics known for his foundation work on machine learning with artificial neural networks, warned that AI could soon surpass human intelligence and escape human control. The Godfather of AI predicted a “10% to 20%” chance that AI could lead to human extinction within the next three decades. He identified two risks from rapid AI development: misuse by humans and AI evolving beyond human control, deciding they no longer need humans.
To mitigate the first threat, robust international regulations are essential, though establishing such frameworks through government negotiations will be a long and complex process. While the likelihood of the second risk is hotly debated and there are great differences among experts’ estimates, one point remains clear: the more we preserve human intelligence, individually and collectively, the more hopeful our future will be.
Last year, when the Oxford English Dictionary coined the term “Brain rot” to describe the mental fogginess and reduced attention span caused by excessive consumption of trivial, repetitive online content through endless scrolling and binge-watching videos, it sounded an alarm for educators. This situation will only worsen as electronic devices become equipped with AI tools. Countering this trend will require the efforts of many great minds to devise strategies that keep humans smart enough to remain masters, not slaves, of technology.
While I have no crystal ball to predict our destiny, I feel we are at the dawn of a new era.
As for me, I believe in the traditional wisdom of acquiring knowledge and sharpening thinking: reading books, digesting content, consulting wise people, and engaging in meaningful discussions. These proven methods have opened my mind, sharpened my thoughts, and motivated me to learn. I also believe in essential human qualities that distinguish us from machines. Empathy, kindness, generosity, and forgiveness are some of the qualities that make us human. And they will grow only through practising them in our daily lives.
Some say generative AI heralds a utopia where productivity soars and people have abundant time to enjoy life, as they delegate their work to widespread AI-assisted automation. Others argue that new AI technologies have opened a Pandora's Box that could bring disaster to human civilization. While I have no crystal ball to predict our destiny, I feel we are at the dawn of a new era. At this critical juncture, Ephesians 5:15-17 continues to resonate with me: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is”.
Professor Li Wai-keung
Dean of FLASS
16 July 2025
Professor Li Wai-keung collaborated with Tam Siu-man on this message.
