From struggles to shortcuts

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into education and workplaces, concerns are growing over its impact on critical thinking, creativity and independent learning. The real challenge is not the technology itself, but the growing dependence on ready-made answers at the cost of genuine understanding and personal growth

“Ma’am, I tried solving Q2 from Exercise 1. But somehow, the answer doesn’t tally. I want to understand why we can’t apply technique 1 for solving Q2 as we applied for Q1.”

“Sir, I tried 7 times. I don’t understand why this Balance Sheet is not getting tallied. Could you please clarify where am I going wrong?”

Gone are the days when students genuinely used to put an effort to understand the concepts, their nuances, and their applications. Those were the days when most students didn’t have access to smartphones or any technology for that matter. Those were the days when students struggled to learn, counting upon their teachers and classroom learning. There were just struggles and no shortcuts! Today, when there is no significant digital divide, why is quality of education and students’ ingenuity on a downward trajectory? Since 2024, there has been a proliferation of Large Language Models (such as ChatGPT), driven by rising demand for advanced Natural Language Processing.

Further, today’s generation possesses a short attention span, for instance, Gen Zs have an attention span of seconds pertaining to media engagement. Consequently, they are inclined toward putting in least efforts to think creatively. As per several research agencies, Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) (which is a widely used assessment tool for measuring creative thought) has been showing decreased scores over the recent years in school students. Further, the OECD’s PISA 2025 results show that students using AI for summarising, research, and drafting score lower in examinations, especially science. They also record sharp declines in reading and maths, intensifying concern over how technology is shaping learning.

Besides students, working professionals have succumbed to the use of AI to an extent that now it is hard for them to write even an email from scratch and apply critical thinking – areas that were once considered indispensable at work. Furthermore, it has been observed that there is a downtrend in original works coming from the creators. Is it because there is no scope to be original? Or is it just because today’s generation of creators has given up on it?

The root cause behind all this is not AI but how AI is perceived by masses today. Instead of leveraging AI tools as a scaffold, Gen Zs today have outsourced their thinking altogether. They run after prompt solutions and ready-made answers, leading to surface-level understanding. While it helps them to quickly complete their tasks and augment their homework scores, it ultimately results in low closed-book exam scores and constant underperformance in absence of AI support. Even corporate professionals struggle to operate with full efficiency in the absence of AI tools. And if this continues, a bigger concern that may arise is that of integrity at schools, colleges, and workplaces.

In a nutshell, lack of accessibility to resources and technology was never a caveat to the learning process. Nor was it ever a barrier to honing creativity in individuals. What is imperative is the intention to learn, apply the learnings, and grow. Shortcuts may give momentary delight through yielding temporary results. On the other hand, struggles build the foundation for perpetual learning and growth, making us relevant even in turbulent times. As rightly stated in the book ‘Korero re Life’, “When struggling becomes a habit, life becomes so easy!”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Himanshu Ahuja

[email protected]