The Last Human Superpower: Thinking for Ourselves

By Aashi Singh

“Hey ChatGPT, write me an essay about thinking for ourselves.” That single line could easily create this very essay — fast, polished, efficient. But sometimes, I pause mid-sentence and wonder: if AI can think for me, what’s left for me to think about?

It was a Sunday evening, couple of months back, the day before an English essay was due. My iPad glowed softly in the dark. I stared at the blinking cursor and whispered to myself, “Just ask ChatGPT.” One click, one prompt — and the essay appeared, structured, smooth, and strangely lifeless. I read it once. It was perfect. But it wasn’t me. It didn’t sound like the girl who writes poetry at midnight, who debates ideas with friends until the bell rings. It sounded like... everyone else. So, I closed the tab. 

And I started again — slower this time. My words weren’t perfect, but they were mine. In that moment, I realized: thinking isn’t about speed; it’s about soul.

The Magic (and Mess) of Thinking

Thinking used to be an adventure. You’d hunt through books, argue with classmates, scratch ideas in the margins, and rewrite them a dozen times. It was messy. — a lot. But that was the point. You learned how to think, not just what to write.

Now, with AI giving us perfect answers in seconds, it’s tempting to skip the struggle. But struggle is what shapes us. It teaches us to question, to disagree, to grow a voice that’s uniquely our own. Our thoughts don’t grow in isolation — they’re built from our friends, our families, our cultures, our mistakes. This idea is often referred to as the social construction of thought. 

When we stop thinking for ourselves, we don’t just lose skill. We lose identity.

From Stone Tools to Smart Tools

Humans have always invented things to make life easier — from the first stone tools to the smartphone. Each invention changed how we lived and thought. But with AI, something new is happening. The tool doesn’t just do the work; it can now think with us. 

And that’s both incredible and dangerous. Because if we’re not careful, we might start believing that convenience equals wisdom. Having access to information isn’t the same as understanding it. Wisdom comes from reflection — from sitting with ideas until they become your own. In fact, critical thinking is often defined as a fundamental cognitive skill which involves analysing, evaluating and synthesizing information to make decisions.

Are We Getting Too Comfortable?

How many phone numbers do you remember? Or, When was the last time you wrote something without autocorrect? Or when was the last time you solved a math problem without your calculator app? That’s the “Google effect” — we rely so much on technology that we stop storing knowledge in our own minds. 

Now imagine that effect spreading to creativity, empathy, and decision-making. If AI can write, plan, and even comfort us — what happens to our ability to do those things ourselves? And imagine, what happens when someday suddenly the machines stop answering?

Using AI the Human Way

I don’t think AI is the villain here. It’s a brilliant tool — like a genius friend who never sleeps. It can explain, summarize, and inspire. But it should never become the voice in place of ours. 

Imagine AI as an overprotective parent—always ready to step in, solve problems, and make life easier. On the surface, it feels like care but slowly it starts hindering a child’s growth as they are protected from challenges. Similarly, over dependence on AI can start to dull our intellect and erode human ability to handle ambiguous situations, to critically assess information and to develop original ideas. The real challenge is balance: using AI to expand our thinking, not to replace it. 

Every time I use an AI tool, I try asking myself — would I ask this same thing to a person? If not, maybe I’m just trying to avoid effort, not seek understanding.

A Final Thought

T.S. Eliot once asked,

“Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?

Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”

Maybe it’s time to also ask: Where is the thinking we are losing to technology? 

AI can write a perfect essay. But only we can write an honest one — the kind that feels uncertain, alive, unfinished, human. Because maybe that’s the paradox of the future:The smarter our machines become, the more important it is for us to stay human.

By Aashi Singh