In a world where artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into everyday life, neurobiologist Florencia Labombarda, researcher at Conicet and founder of Tomátelo con Ciencia, suggests urgent thinking: How do we stop technology from thinking for us? “AI changes the brain, but how we do it depends on how we interact with it. It can replace or enhance our thinking. The key is in metacognition“, he stated during summit Future Works organized by LA NACION.
The specialist explained this Metacognition – The ability to observe and direct one’s thinking – This allows artificial intelligence to be transformed into a tool for critical thinkingrather than a substitute for logic. “The brain is very complex, but it’s also a bit lazy. Every time it can delegate a function to a trusted tool, it does so without a problem. This, if we don’t manage it, can reduce our cognitive autonomy.”
Through simple examples, such as using a GPS or a calculator, Labombarda explained the concept of cognitive downloading: The brain’s tendency to externalize tasks that require energy. “When we use GPS just for obedience, the brain rests. But when we use it to understand how to orient ourselves and build a mental map, a key area called the hippocampus is activated, increasing its volume and improving our spatial memory ability.”
According to the researcher, the same thing happens with digital tools and AI models: “If we just obey the algorithm, we download basic functions like Decision making, arguing, or problem solving. These are the foundations of critical thinking.
According to the specialist, many recent studies support this observation. In one, groups that solved an AI-assisted critical thinking test got all the results correct, but were unable to explain their reasons. “The group that worked without the AI made more errors, but better understood the mental processes behind each response. He explained that in the first case, the released cognitive resources were used for rest.
The neurobiologist warns that this rest can lead to “cognitive erosion” if the brain does not reallocate those resources to complex tasks. “AI can think for me, create for me, and decide for me. But then, what do I do with my mind?” He said the answer is Use technology to train content supervision and mental processes: Verifying the validity of information, placing it in context, and evaluating it.
“We know that AI is delusional, which is why we have to evaluate the veracity of what it produces, its up-to-dateness, its algorithmic biases, and the ethical implications. Metacognition allows us to maintain control and prevent cognitive downloading from becoming a dependencyHe explained.
La Pobarda even specified geometry Summoned —Ability to formulate good queries for models– As a form of metacognition. “It’s not a technical skill, but a cognitive skill. It involves knowing what I want, how I want the information to come back to me and what I’m going to do with it.”
He also suggested observing AI as a mirror to learn about our own minds: “We can ask it to tell us how to think, if we are arguing from emotion, from evidence, or from authority. If we see how AI “thinks”, we can learn about how we think“.
The scientist stressed that technology is neither good nor bad in itself, but rather it amplifies the mental habits with which it is used. “If we let AI think for us, we will lose our autonomy. But if we use the freed-up resources for critical, meta-cognitive functions, AI can enhance our intelligence.”
Finally, he called on the public to change the paradigm: “AI should not replace human cognition, but rather make us more aware of it. It gives us the opportunity to observe how we learn and how we think, something that was not previously visible.
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