Will Humans Become Dumber or Smarter with ChatGPT?

Since the launch of ChatGPT and other AI tools, society has been caught between two emotions: wonder at their capabilities, and anxiety about their implications. Will AI make us smarter, empowering us with faster access to knowledge and ideas? Or will it make us lazier, dependent, and perhaps even dumber over time?

At Chanceupon.co, we think it’s time to look beyond the headlines and explore this question through the lens of how humans grow, learn, and create value—especially in a world increasingly shaped by digital collaboration.

The Fear: Are We Outsourcing Our Brains?

One of the biggest concerns is cognitive atrophy—when we rely too heavily on AI to think for us, do we stop thinking for ourselves?

After all, if ChatGPT can write our emails, summarize our books, help us brainstorm, debug code, translate languages, and even offer career advice, what’s left for us to do?

Psychologists have long studied a phenomenon called the “Google Effect” or digital amnesia—where people forget information they can easily look up. AI tools like ChatGPT could take this further, not only reducing our need to remember facts, but also our effort to form original thoughts.

And it’s not just memory or creativity at risk. There’s also decision-making. If we defer to AI to choose the best restaurant, the best career path, the best strategy for our business, are we losing our ability to weigh nuance, take risks, and learn from failure?

The Hope: Amplifying Human Intelligence

But this concern, while valid, misses the bigger picture. Throughout history, new tools—from the printing press to the internet—have initially sparked fears of intellectual decline. Yet over time, they’ve generally amplified human capability, not diminished it.
ChatGPT, at its best, acts like a second brain—not replacing our intelligence, but extending it.

Here’s how:

Access to Knowledge at Scale

You no longer need to dig through textbooks or scroll endlessly on forums to understand a new concept. Curious about how blockchain works or what Stoicism teaches? Ask, and you get a clear explanation in seconds. This speeds up learning and lowers the barriers to entry in nearly any field.

Rapid Prototyping and Creativity

Whether you’re a founder, designer, educator, or developer, ChatGPT can help you brainstorm, generate ideas, draft content, or test hypotheses. This shortens the loop between ideation and execution, encouraging experimentation and innovation.

Personalised Feedback

Want to improve your writing, rehearse a pitch, or prepare for an interview? ChatGPT offers low-stakes, always-on feedback. Unlike static tutorials or rigid learning platforms, it adapts to your level and style.

Democratisation of Expertise

Not everyone has access to mentors, consultants, or specialized knowledge. ChatGPT gives you a baseline level of “intelligence-as-a-service,” leveling the playing field for remote workers, aspiring entrepreneurs, and solo creators.

This isn’t about getting dumber or smarter. It’s about redefining intelligence—less about what you know, more about how quickly and effectively you can adapt, ask better questions, and create value with the tools at your disposal.

So What’s the Catch?

The real challenge isn’t that AI will make us dumb. It’s that it will widen the gap between passive consumers and active creators.

Those who use ChatGPT just to automate tasks or avoid thinking may indeed find their critical thinking skills erode. But those who engage deeply with it—as a collaborator, not a crutch—can become dramatically more effective and innovative.

It’s similar to the calculator debate decades ago. Calculators didn’t kill math skills; they shifted the focus from manual calculation to problem-solving. But only when paired with proper teaching and conceptual understanding.

The same applies here. The question isn’t whether ChatGPT will make us smarter or dumber—it’s whether we’re using it to learn, or just to escape effort.

What This Means for the Future of Work

For platforms like Chanceupon.co, this AI revolution is not a threat but an opportunity. The rise of tools like ChatGPT aligns with the future we’re building—one where individuals can learn faster, pivot careers, and contribute meaningfully across borders and industries.

In the remote and on-demand talent economy, AI acts as a force multiplier. A freelancer in Taiwan or Vietnam can compete globally with sharper proposals, smarter insights, and better client communication. A project manager in Singapore can test market ideas faster than ever before. A creator in the Philippines can launch an e-learning course in weeks, not months.

These aren’t just efficiencies. They’re enablers of human potential.

But here’s the key: talent still matters. Creativity still matters. Judgment, empathy, strategic thinking—these are things AI doesn’t master. If anything, the more routine tasks AI takes over, the more valuable those human skills become.

How to Stay Smart in the Age of ChatGPT

If you want to get smarter with ChatGPT (and not the other way around), here are a few principles to live by:

• Use it to teach, not tell. Ask it to explain things, compare viewpoints, simulate scenarios. Don’t just ask for answers—ask for reasoning.
• Pair it with curiosity. Let it accelerate your learning, not replace it. Use it to dive deeper into topics you care about.
• Cross-check and critique. ChatGPT is not always accurate. Fact-check, compare sources, and challenge its output.
• Apply what you learn. Use AI-generated drafts as starting points, not final products. Iterate, personalize, and make it yours.
• Stay human. Prioritize what only you can bring: insight, intuition, storytelling, context, and ethical judgment.

In Conclusion: It’s Not AI vs. Us

Let’s stop thinking in binaries. AI won’t “make” us smarter or dumber. It will amplify whatever mindset we bring to it. If we bring laziness, we’ll get dependency. If we bring curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to grow—we’ll thrive.

The future belongs to those who learn how to learn with AI. Not those who fear it, and not those who blindly trust it.

So don’t ask, “Will ChatGPT make us dumber?”

Ask instead, “How will I use it to make myself better?”

Because in the end, it’s not about the intelligence of the tool—it’s about the intention of the user.