This episode was inspired by a question I was asked last week during a training session in Luxembourg.
It’s a question I hear all the time.
I was teaching very experienced professionals. People who want to move up in their careers. People who already make big decisions. They understand the value of critical thinking in their work, and they are rightly protective of it.
Whenever I talk about AI, the same concern surfaces.
What if we lose our critical thinking?
If you haven’t listened to the AI Shame episode yet, Episode 166, I would recommend starting there. AI shame is still very real. But today, I want to focus on a deeper fear. The idea that by relying on AI, we somehow outsource our thinking.
And I ask this question myself.
I ask it as a practitioner who works with AI every day.
I ask it as a mother. A mother of a 16-year-old just starting out. And a mother of a 30-year-old working in academia.
This isn’t a theoretical question. It’s a human one.
Let’s get into it.
AI is not your brain. It is an assistant.
Think of it as someone joining your team. Or more realistically, a group of assistants or agents that you train, guide, and supervise.
You provide the goals. You provide the judgement. You provide the accountability.
The goal of AI is not to replace your thinking.
The goal is to remove low-level work that drains your time and attention.
If critical thinking is not required, that is where AI earns its place.
If critical thinking is required, that is where you stay firmly in the driving seat.
This distinction matters.
The real risk isn’t that AI exists.
The real risk is passive use.
Accepting the first answer. Not questioning assumptions. Never interrogating the output. Letting speed replace judgement.
That is where critical thinking weakens. And this isn’t new.
We heard the same fears with calculators, Google, spellcheck, and GPS. The tool is not the problem. The behaviour is.
Used well, AI can actually sharpen your thinking.
One of the best uses is dialogue.
Argue with it. Ask it to challenge you. Ask for opposing viewpoints. Ask what you might be missing. Ask it to stress-test a decision.
This is scenario planning at scale.
Voice tools are especially powerful here because they slow you down. You think out loud. You hear your own gaps. You are forced to articulate your reasoning.
That is critical thinking in action.
There is also growing discussion around cognitive offloading.
This is the idea that when tools do more for us, we may engage less. Yesterday’s episode touched on this point.
Some early studies suggest that over-reliance can reduce effort, particularly in learning environments. But there is also evidence pointing the other way.
When AI is used as a tutor, a challenger, or a reflective partner, it can increase depth of thinking and improve reasoning.
The difference is intentional use.
Now, let’s hear from Shae Omonijo.
Shae is a PhD candidate in history at Harvard and the creator of a free YouTube series called Critical Thinking in the Age of AI. She approaches this topic not as a technologist, but as a humanist.
For professionals who want to progress, critical thinking becomes more valuable, not less.
AI will handle execution.
Humans will handle judgement.
Context. Ethics. Trade-offs. Strategy.
For young people, the responsibility is not to ban AI, but to teach how to use it properly.
- Questioning.
- Verification.
- Reflection.
- Decision-making.
These are the skills that matter.
So, will we lose our critical thinking to AI?
Only if we choose to.
AI does not take thinking away.
Unthinking use does.
If we treat AI as an assistant, not an authority, it can become one of the most powerful tools we have for clearer, more rigorous thinking.
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Show Notes
- AI Shame episode: Episode 166
- Shae Omonijo, Critical Thinking in the Age of AI: https://youtu.be/5i__NqoAI7Y
- Full YouTube series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLptL8DEX9T78FDEz8CPGmFP9HWxysQpzQ
- Shae’s website:https://criticalthinkingintheageofai.com
About the Podcast Host
AI and Communications Specialist | Author | Podcaster | International Speaker
Joanne Sweeney is a recognised leader in digital marketing and digital transformation, specialising in the practical application of AI to enhance communication strategies. The founder of Digital Training Institute, Joanne, empowers leaders and communications professionals to leverage AI responsibly and effectively, ensuring transparency, trust, and tangible results.
She completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Programme in AI and Public Policy this summer before launching her fourth book AI Playbook, in September. Joanne has also published two editions of Public Sector Marketing Pro, which were preceded by her first title, Social Media Under Investigation Law Enforcement and the Social Web.
Her books have become go-to resources for governments, public sector and policing agencies, as well as marketing and communications professionals, all navigating the challenges of the changing Internet.
Joanne is the host of the AI SIX Podcast, a daily six-minute podcast that provides actionable insights, expert interviews, and practical advice to help professionals navigate the new world of work.
