Offloading onto technology always atrophies the skill it replaces. Calculators offloaded, very specifically, basic arithmetic. However, Math =/= arithmetic. I used calculators, and cannot do mental multiplication and division as fast or well as older generations, but I spent that time learning to apply math to problems, understand number theory, and gaining a mastery of more complex operations, including writing computer sourcecode to do math-related things. It was always a trade-off.
In Aristotle’s time, people spent their entire education memorizing literature, and the written world off-loaded that skill. This isn’t a new problem, but there needs to be something of value to be educated in that replaces what was off-loaded. I think scholars are much better trained today, now that they don’t have to spend years memorizing passages word for word.
AI replaces thinking. That’s a bomb between the ears for students.
Are you familiar with a social media site where it’s common to post well-researched and cited position papers? A rant is about what I expect in a place like this. The goal, I think, is to start a discussion -which is where your commentors injecting nuance or level headed opinions comes in. I personally don’t know what the solution is, but students using AI is an incredible experiment being conducted on the next generation. No one has anything but an opinion, because there’s no outcome data yet. My opinion is that it is scary as hell.