What happened
Benjamin Riley argues AI is a "cognitive hot dog" — appealing but harmful to cognitive development — and notes Norway banned AI in schools for students under 13, while OpenAI VP Leah Belsky said learners make up over half of ChatGPT's 900 million monthly users.
Why it matters
This suggests that treating AI as a learning tool may undermine the effortful thinking that builds durable knowledge, and that institutions like schools are starting to push back with bans.
What to watch
The real test is whether such bans spread and whether AI use in education shifts from occasional to routine, which Riley warns is where the harm lies. Watch for more school districts and countries following Norway's lead.
WHO IT HITSThis directly affects educators, school administrators, and parents weighing AI tools in classrooms, as well as students whose learning habits may be shaped by these technologies.
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The essay traces the idea that brains are computers back to Alan Turing and notes that John von Neumann doubted the computational model could capture the "exceptional complexity of the human nervous system." Neuroscientist Paul Cisek offers an alternative: brains as feedback-control systems, not information processors. Riley uses this to argue that AI, like processed food, exploits ancient cravings but damages the systems we rely on.
The piece also highlights concrete examples of AI in education, such as OpenAI VP Leah Belsky's claim that learners are the majority of ChatGPT's 900 million monthly users, and Anthropic's "Claude for Teachers" initiative. Riley cites a recent study from China showing students stopped doing homework once they started using AI, harming their learning. He also points to pushback like Norway's ban and the Oberlin Luddite Club's open letter.
The stakes hinge on whether AI becomes a routine part of education or remains an occasional tool. If bans and resistance grow, it may signal a broader shift in how institutions view AI's role in learning. For educators and parents, the question is whether to prioritize convenience or protect the effortful thinking that builds durable knowledge.
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