‘Bicycle for the mind’: The contentious AI claim disproven by school students
News Source
•Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:30:30 +0000
📰 What Happened
SBS News asked an AI assistant called Gemini whether using AI makes people smarter. Gemini said yes. It claimed AI acts like a "bicycle for the mind" and frees up brain power for creative work.
Two Australian experts disagree. Former chief scientist Alan Finkel said his brain does not need a bicycle. He called the answer self-serving. Brain expert James Vickers said AI is more like a self-driving car, where you stop thinking about the route.
Nearly 80 per cent of Australian children now use AI assistants every day.
🔍 The Backstory
The brain works like a muscle in some ways. Skills you stop practising get weaker over time. This is why people who once memorised phone numbers now struggle to recall them.
Researchers have studied this for years with maps and GPS. Drivers who always follow a satnav often get worse at finding their own way. Some studies suggest the same could happen with writing and problem solving.
Schools are still working out rules for AI use in class. Some ban it, while others teach students how to use it well.
🎯 Why It Matters
If you let AI do all your thinking, you may lose skills you need later. Use it as a helper, not a replacement.
SBS News asked an AI assistant called Gemini whether using AI makes people smarter. Gemini said yes. It claimed AI acts like a "bicycle for the mind" and frees up brain power for creative work.
Two Australian experts disagree. Former chief scientist Alan Finkel said his brain does not need a bicycle. He called the answer self-serving. Brain expert James Vickers said AI is more like a self-driving car, where you stop thinking about the route.
Nearly 80 per cent of Australian children now use AI assistants every day.
The brain works like a muscle in some ways. Skills you stop practising get weaker over time. This is why people who once memorised phone numbers now struggle to recall them.
Researchers have studied this for years with maps and GPS. Drivers who always follow a satnav often get worse at finding their own way. Some studies suggest the same could happen with writing and problem solving.
Schools are still working out rules for AI use in class. Some ban it, while others teach students how to use it well.
If you let AI do all your thinking, you may lose skills you need later. Use it as a helper, not a replacement.