Mint columnist Mala Bhargava argues AI can enhance thinking through problem framing and deliberate use, not weaken it. The insights apply broadly, including to Apple's AI integration.
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A column by Mala Bhargava in Mint argues that AI, rather than weakening mental abilities, can sharpen thinking if used deliberately. The piece pushes back against the common fear that outsourcing analysis and memory to chatbots will atrophy those skills. Bhargava writes that the key is not whether to use AI, but how.
She identifies problem framing as a mental skill that AI interaction can build. Defining context, setting roles, and establishing goals before asking for an output forces the brain to map out what is needed before jumping to solutions. That clarifying process, she says, helps people solve problems better.
The column also recommends asking AI to challenge you. Requesting counterarguments, different viewpoints, or debates can fight confirmation bias that comes from chatbots' tendency to flatter. Presenting a problem after doing background thinking, then bringing the AI in to attack or expand the idea, is another way to exercise thinking muscles.
Bhargava acknowledges the pressures to take the easy route: the threat of being left behind, workplace demands for speed, and student pressures. She suggests sharpening the intuition that tells you which tasks are worth doing the long way. Asking AI to pull insights from a significant news article, for example, robs you of the chance to analyse something important.
The column does not mention specific companies, but the insights apply broadly. For investors, the ability to use AI effectively could become a competitive advantage across sectors. Apple, which is embedding AI into its products and services, stands to benefit if its users adopt these deliberate practices. The column's argument suggests that AI adoption may not reduce cognitive skills but could instead raise the bar for those who use it well.
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