I got a call that made my stomach drop.
A global healthcare company had implemented an AI diagnostic system to help doctors analyze patient records faster.
The promise?
Better healthcare through faster disease detection.
Then came the wake-up call.
The AI flagged a case with a high probability of a rare autoimmune disorder. The doctor, trusting the system, recommended an aggressive treatment plan.
But something felt off.
When I was brought in to review, we discovered the AI had misinterpreted an MRI anomaly.
The patient had an entirely different condition - one that didn't require aggressive treatment. A near-miss that could have had serious consequences.
This is Intellectual Atrophy™ [This framework is copyrighted: © 2025 Sol Rashidi. All rights reserved.] in action.
And it's not just happening at work or healthcare, it's happening to all of us.
Drove somewhere new without GPS?
Or wrote an important email without letting autocomplete finish your sentences?
Parallel parked in a rental car without all the fancy cameras?
We've been slowly outsourcing our thinking to technology for years, but AI is putting this on steroids.
Think about your own team.
When's the last time someone questioned an AI recommendation?
Or pushed back on a data analysis because their gut said something was wrong?
We're so impressed by AI's speed and confidence that we're forgetting to use our own judgment.
Here's what I'm seeing across organizations:
The "AI Said So" Defense: Teams can't explain the reasoning behind recommendations
Decision paralysis when AI tools are unavailable
Fewer "what if" questions in meetings because "the AI already figured it out"
Copy-paste culture where AI outputs get used without human insight
The Scariest Part?
It feels like progress
Your team loves their AI copilots because work feels easier.
Analysis appears instantly.
Decisions seem data-driven.
But underneath, something critical is withering: the ability to think independently.
What to Watch For
🚩 Projects stall when AI tools are down
🚩 No one asks "why" about AI recommendations anymore
🚩 Teams get uncomfortable making decisions without AI input
🚩 Critical thinking muscles are getting weaker by the week
So, what’s the real business risk?
When your workforce can't think critically without AI assistance, you're not just losing intellectual capability, you're creating dangerous blind spots.
So, AI should make us smarter, not replace our thinking entirely.
The organizations that thrive will use AI as a thinking partner, not a thinking substitute.
Are you seeing signs of Intellectual Atrophy™ in your organization? Drop a comment - I’d love to hear what you’re noticing.
So true
Early in my career (meaning: a looooong time ago), I was told that a major manufacturer in my area would hire consultants to make all major decisions and execute major projects. I thought that was incredibly insulting to their own staff. However, the reasoning was that the internal teams were shielded from blame for any failures along the way. They would just fire the consultants and bring in a new bunch. It was “The Consultants said so” mentality. Most people can recognize this from their own experience in various forms and degree. AI provides a potentially cheaper and quicker scapegoat for an age-old weaknesses and sins.