According to Business Insider, philosophy professor Anastasia Berg from UC Irvine says AI tools are actively “deskilling” workers across multiple industries. Research shows that employees who heavily rely on AI are losing core skills at a startling rate, with junior workers being most vulnerable. Computer science professors report students and early-career developers can’t write or debug code independently anymore because they lean on AI from day one. Meanwhile, analysis of 1.58 million ChatGPT conversations found that by June 2025, 73% of adult user messages were non-work related. This constant AI dependency is weakening the cognitive capacities people need for both specialized jobs and everyday independent functioning.
The deskilling crisis nobody’s talking about
Here’s the thing that really worries me about this trend. We’re not just talking about workers getting a bit lazy or cutting corners. Berg’s research suggests we’re witnessing actual skill atrophy – the cognitive equivalent of muscle wasting from disuse. And the most alarming part? It’s happening fastest among junior employees who never build foundational knowledge in the first place.
Think about it. When senior developers use AI, they’re essentially outsourcing grunt work while maintaining oversight. But junior developers? They’re using AI as a crutch from day one, which means they never develop the problem-solving muscles needed to understand what the AI is actually doing. They can’t verify or correct the output because they don’t have the baseline knowledge. Basically, we’re creating a generation of workers who can’t function without digital hand-holding.
Beyond the workplace
This isn’t just about coding or technical skills either. The deskilling phenomenon is spreading into everyday life. Adults are now consulting chatbots for emotional support, daily decision-making, and what Berg calls “weird sociability.” When 73% of ChatGPT use is personal, we’re looking at a fundamental shift in how people approach problem-solving across the board.
And that’s where it gets really concerning. If people can’t make basic decisions without AI input, what happens to independent judgment? What happens to creativity? The research Berg references from Oxford University Press and other journals suggests AI might boost speed and engagement, but it comes at the cost of depth, critical thinking, and long-term development. We’re trading deep understanding for surface-level efficiency.
The efficiency trap
Companies are racing to implement AI under the banner of productivity and efficiency. But what if they’re actually building a workforce that’s less capable in the long run? Berg’s warning is that AI doesn’t just automate tasks – it automates the very processes through which people develop skills. Remove the friction of problem-solving, and you remove the learning opportunity.
This reminds me of what happened with GPS navigation. Remember when people could actually read maps? Now most of us would be lost without turn-by-turn directions. The difference is that map-reading was a relatively narrow skill. AI dependency threatens to erode our ability to reason, create, and make decisions across virtually every domain.
What’s the solution?
So what should companies do? The answer isn’t to abandon AI entirely – that ship has sailed. But we need to be much more intentional about how we integrate these tools. Maybe we need “AI-free” periods where employees tackle problems without assistance. Or structured training that ensures people understand the fundamentals before they’re allowed to use AI tools.
The scary part is that we might not realize the full extent of the deskilling until it’s too late. By the time companies notice their workforce can’t function without AI support, they may have already lost the institutional knowledge and problem-solving capacity that made them successful in the first place. We’re trading short-term productivity gains for long-term capability, and that’s a dangerous bargain.
