Why Mental Effort, Not Intelligence, Will Define Success in the AI Age
By
David Brooks
Summary
This article explores how the AI era is reshaping work and human potential, arguing that contrary to fears of mass obsolescence, AI adoption is making work more intense and demanding. Drawing on research from ActivTrak showing that early AI adopters saw their digital communication and software usage skyrocket, the piece contends that what will differentiate people in the AI age is not intelligence but their relationship with mental effort. The article examines the psychological and behavioral traits that allow some individuals to thrive alongside AI while others struggle, focusing on the value of cognitive endurance, curiosity, and adaptive thinking in an increasingly automated world.
Source
bskyWhy Mental Effort, Not Intelligence, Will Define Success in the AI Agetheatlantic.comKey quotes
· 4 pulledResearchers from ActivTrak analyzed the digital activity of more than 10,000 workers and found that when people adopted AI, their work life became more intense, not less.
The 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.
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