Podcasts · Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

AI Is Making Our Kids Dumber and Schools Are Letting It Happen

8 Mar 2026 · 17 min · Episode 1554

AI is writing essays. AI is passing exams. AI is graduating with honours.

But what’s happening to our kids’ brains?

When an MIT study found students who used ChatGPT had dramatically worse recall, headlines screamed: “AI is destroying intelligence.” The truth is more complicated — and more confronting.

In this episode, Justin and Kylie unpack what AI is actually doing to developing brains, why schools may be accidentally making it worse, and the one rule every family needs before a child touches ChatGPT again.

Because this isn’t about banning AI. It’s about protecting your child’s ability to think.

KEY POINTS

• Brain first, then AI • What EEG scans revealed about neural engagement • Why students using AI first “never recovered” cognitively • The alarming reality inside high schools and universities • How over-reliance weakens critical thinking (even in doctors) • The “forklift at the gym” analogy from Alfie Kohn • Why productive struggle is essential for learning • Practical scripts parents can use at home • What schools should be doing differently

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“Using AI to write for you is like bringing a forklift to the gym. The weights get lifted — but you don’t get stronger.”

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

• Create the Brain-First Rule. No AI use until your child has attempted the task independently. • Normalise Productive Struggle. Remind them: frustration builds neural pathways. • Use AI as a Challenger, Not a Writer. Instead of “Write this for me,” teach them to ask: “Ask me to explain my argument before giving feedback.” “Challenge my reasoning with three hard questions.” • Model It Yourself. Let your kids see you think first, then refine with technology. • Have the Long-Term Conversation. Ask: Do you want to think for yourself — or let a machine think for you?

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Links in the notes 1

• https://omnystudio.com/listener

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