This argument boils down to an urgent plea: refrain from using artificial intelligence to write. Do not rely on AI for academic papers, corporate briefs, personal correspondence, speeches, or basic emails. Avoid using it to structure notes, suggest opening lines, bridge transitions, or draft initial outlines. Editing an AI-generated draft does not make the work authentically yours.
The motivation behind this plea extends far beyond traditional ethics or dishonesty. While passing off machine-generated text without disclosure constitutes deception, the primary danger lies elsewhere. Nor is it a question of competing with machine capability—AI will inevitably outpace human performance in text generation just as software outplays humans in chess.
Instead, relying on AI for writing causes cognitive atrophy. It offers a shortcut where daily mental effort is essential. The widespread adoption of these tools erodes personal writing ability, collective reasoning, creative capacity, and genuine human engagement. As reading rates decline, AI adoption accelerates a parallel decay in writing, dragging society deeper into a post-literate era.
The Essential Function of Writing
Writing enforces a distinct mode of rigorous thought that silent contemplation and spoken conversation cannot replicate. It demands clarity, logical structure, grammatical discipline, and accountability. A written word carries weight and permanence precisely because its composition reflects deliberate intent; people value written commitments because the effort behind them signifies meaning.
When machines produce or assist in generating these words, their value dissipates:
- Erosion of Authenticity: An AI-generated wedding toast may sound polished, but it replaces personal effort with algorithmic output, stripping the gesture of its emotional value.
- Loss of Cognitive Practice: Relegating routine tasks—like office emails or memos—to AI weakens the very mental muscles required for critical communication. Daily, mundane writing builds the discipline, focus, and creativity necessary for high-stakes expression.
- Diminishing Intellectual Capacity: Recent studies reveal widespread AI usage even in advanced academic work, including doctoral dissertations. Treating this trend merely as academic dishonesty ignores its broader consequences.
The Civic and Democratic Imperative
Broad literacy has historically underpinned democratic self-governance. Citizens capable of reading, writing, and formulating coherent arguments are better equipped to advocate for themselves and critique power. When daily writing practice disappears, so does the capacity for rigorous, independent thought.
Resisting automated text prompts or AI writing assistance is more than a preference for traditional methods—it is an exercise in cognitive independence. Taking the extra seconds to compose your own thoughts serves as an act of personal agency and a defense of human intellect in an increasingly automated world.
INSPIRED BY THE ARTICLE OF Bret Stephens, PUBLISHED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
