We’ve all been there—staring at a blank screen, tempted to let AI do the heavy lifting. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s always right there. But is this digital shortcut actually a dead end for our brains?

In this episode, we explore the “Crutch Effect” and why the struggle to find an answer is often more important than the answer itself. We dive into the research behind why AI-assisted practice can lead to lower exam scores and how you can shift your mindset from using AI as an engine to using it as a scaffold.

Key Highlights

* The Convenience Trap: Why AI is designed to tell you exactly what you want to hear, and why that’s a problem.

* The Crutch Effect: Understanding the psychological cost of offloading our critical thinking.

* The 17% Gap: A look at research showing that students who rely on AI tutors often underp ...