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AI, Shortcuts, and the Mysterious Disappearance of Thinking

By Assistant Professor of Finance, Dr. John Kim

These past few years, AI has taken over faster than a viral TikTok trend. It’s in our companies, our classrooms, our coffee makers (probably), and soon enough, our dreams. Everyone is talking about AI like it’s the second coming of Excel—meaning it’s a tool we all need to master. Schools, especially business schools, are rushing to incorporate AI into the curriculum, because let’s be honest, no student wants to graduate and realize their entire job can be done by ChatGPT in 30 seconds.

And yet, as I sit here, ironically using AI to help me write this, I can’t help but have some questions—some deep, possibly existential questions.

Are We Teaching Students Not to Think?

At its core, AI is a shortcut machine. You want an email written? AI’s got it. Need code? AI’s on it. Can’t remember your mom’s birthday? AI probably knows that too. But is it wise to teach a tool that essentially discourages thinking? We’re already dealing with a generation raised on Google, autocorrect, and an overwhelming need for instant gratification. And now, we’re saying, “Hey, here’s an even easier way to avoid effort!”

I mean, think about it—what happens when we take a group of students already reluctant to problem-solve and hand them a tool that gives them answers without struggle? It’s like giving a toddler a self-driving tricycle. Sure, they’ll get where they need to go, but at some point, they should probably learn how to pedal.

Critical Thinking: The Endangered Species?

One of the things that sets humans apart is our ability to think critically, to solve problems, to analyze situations, and, on rare occasions, to read an entire email before replying “Wait, what’s the homework?” But if we keep relying on AI for everything, we might just lose the very thing that makes us human.

I recently read that companies are actively looking for employees who can think critically (which, let’s be real, is starting to feel like a niche skill). Imagine a job interview in 2030:

Interviewer: “Tell me about a time you faced a difficult problem and how you solved it.”
Candidate: [frantically whispers to ChatGPT]

The reality is, you can teach someone how to use AI, but it’s a lot harder to teach someone how to think independently. And have you ever tried teaching critical thinking to someone who only communicates in emojis? It’s an uphill battle.

Signs AI Might Be Messing with Our Brains

I’ll admit, I’ve noticed a change in myself. My short-term memory is… questionable. I used to code and actually remember what I was doing. Now, I just copy-paste from AI without retaining a thing. Emails? Haven’t manually written one in months. Here’s how my process works:

Me: “Help write announcement to students: Hi welcome spring 2025 syllabus is on OAKS read it before first class make it exciting and friendly.”
AI: “Dear Students, Welcome to the Spring 2025 semester! I hope you had a refreshing break…”

Me: Wow. That sounds like something I can write (Sarcasm intended).

Repeat this process a few times a day, over weeks, months, years… and suddenly, I start wondering if I still remember how to compose a complete sentence without AI filling in the blanks.

Students and the Case of the Missing Initiative

This issue isn’t just about me—it’s happening to students, too. Professors have noticed that students struggle with trying things out. If an answer isn’t immediately obvious, they shut down like a Wi-Fi router in a thunderstorm.

For example, I once told a student, “The review questions are on OAKS.”
They opened our class page, didn’t see them right away, and said, “They’re not there.”
I asked, “Did you check the second module?”
“No.”

At that moment, I felt like I was watching a video game character glitch out, unable to move past Level 1 because they refused to turn left.

Maybe it’s social media conditioning. Maybe it’s AI doing too much of the thinking for them. Either way, we’re creating a world where problem-solving means refreshing a page and hoping for the best.

Maybe It’s Time to Pump the Brakes

Look, I’m not anti-AI. I rely on it. I teach it. But maybe, just maybe, it’s time to mix in some good old-fashioned critical thinking exercises—no computers, just case studies and deep discussions that force students to truly engage their brains.

I get it: what I’m seeing here is a surface-level use of AI. I know that deeper applications require a lot more thought and expertise. But from what I’m gathering from students, this is how AI is most commonly being used. I could be wrong.

Still, at the end of the day, AI is great at giving quick answers, but it can’t think for us. And if we don’t watch out, we might end up with a generation of employees who can churn out AI-generated spreadsheets in record time but freeze the moment someone asks, “What do you think?”

And that, my friends, is a problem AI won’t be able to solve.

What do you think? Should we slow down on AI, or is this just the natural evolution of technology? Let me know—preferably in a full sentence, written by a human.