The AI Riff (Ep21) - Brains on the Line: AI, Effortless Cognition & the Value of Struggle

🎙️ Episode 21: “Brains on the Line: AI, Effortless Cognition & the Value of Struggle”

We’ve hit 21—and with age comes glasses, wisdom, and kicking Rob out (just kidding). This week, we're joined by Mike Morehouse to riff on something far deeper than productivity: what happens when AI makes thinking too easy?

This episode unpacks how effortless cognition—the AI-enabled ability to get the right info, right now—might quietly erode our critical thinking, creativity, and even our sense of self. But it’s not all doomscrolling. We explore how AI can actually sharpen our brains—if we use it with intention.

Act 1 – The Dangers of Ease:
Mike drops the thesis: we’re rushing into an era where tech isn’t just augmenting our work—it’s replacing our thinking. That shift, he warns, may leave us with brains that skip the reps we need to grow. Studies from MIT and NBER back it up—critical thinking is sliding, especially when AI becomes a surrogate instead of a sparring partner.

Act 2 – The Struggle is the Point:
The crew shares personal hacks (from crossword puzzles to brutal prompts) and challenges leaders to treat intellectual capital like any other resource: nurture it or lose it. They dig into how AI systems should be designed to challenge, not coddle, and why interacting with AI socially—even saying “thank you”—can activate deeper parts of the brain.

Act 3 – Design for Depth, Not Dopamine:
What kind of AI assistant are you building—one that gives answers or one that asks better questions? From board report prompts to salsa recipes and house mockups, the team explores how user intent shapes outcomes. They argue that thoughtful use of AI starts with leaders who know what they value—innovation or efficiency—and shape systems accordingly.

Mic Drop Moment:
“If you’re not growing your brain on purpose, AI will shrink it by default.”

Plus: AI fails at house-lifting, salsa gets spicy, and Ruth avoids marital strife with a well-timed AI mockup.