Why Mental Effort, Not Intelligence, Will Determine Success in the AI Era
By
David Brooks
Summary
The article challenges the narrative that AI will eliminate human work, presenting research showing that AI adoption actually intensifies work — early adopters saw email/messaging time double and business software use rise 94%. It argues that what will differentiate people in the AI age is not intelligence but their relationship to mental effort, suggesting that those who embrace cognitive engagement and effortful thinking will thrive, while those seeking to avoid mental strain will struggle.
Source
bskyWhy Mental Effort, Not Intelligence, Will Determine Success in the AI Eratheatlantic.comKey quotes
· 4 pulledThe time that these early adopters spent on email, messaging, and chat apps more than doubled.
Their use of business software rose by 94 percent.
What will differentiate people is not how smart they are but their relationship to mental effort.
When using AI, workers started taking on tasks that they had previously outsourced.
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