Using AI for every second thought? Experts explain how it may affect your brain and when you should avoid it

AI can assist your thinking, but should never replace it. Know when to draw boundaries.

AI has embedded itself so deeply into daily life that nearly every second thought is now run through it. Drafting work emails or writing code is no longer a challenge, as AI has become an everyday thinking tool for almost everything. And not solely work-related, it has extended to personal life decisions, from deciding what to reply to an ex to planning meals, and making everyday decisions. But to what extent can you use it?

We asked two experts, a neurologist and an industry specialist, about the ramifications of excessive AI use, when it can be helpful, and when it is best avoided.

How does AI affect your cognitive health?

AI affects your brain.

AI can make daily tasks faster and easier, but repeatedly turning to it for ready-made answers means that you may not put in enough mental effort yourself. Over time, this habit may affect certain cognitive abilities.

Dr Praveen Gupta, chairman of MAIINS at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, shared, “AI is an extremely useful tool, yet if we begin to outsource too much of our thinking to it, we could also be outsourcing part of the mental effort that keeps our brains engaged.”

The trade-off is that AI is saving time and giving you convenience, but it is also reducing your brain's chance to exercise.

The neurologist further added, “Relying too heavily on AI might lead us to look for immediate answers rather than remembering information, analysing situations, and working out problems for ourselves. As a result, our abilities in areas such as concentration, remembering things, independent thinking and critical reasoning could be affected.”

But should you stop using AI completely? Dr Gupta assured that occasional AI use will not weaken your cognitive abilities.

At this stage, the neurologist cautioned against drawing certain, definitive conclusions about AI. He said, “Since we haven't yet fully understood the long-term effects that AI use has on the nervous system, it would be too early to claim that AI causes cognitive decline. The issue really lies in the way we use it. AI should be used to assist our thinking, not to replace it. Just as we exercise our bodies to stay physically fit, so too must we keep our minds active by continuing to read, remember, ask questions, reason, and solve problems on our own.”

When should you use AI and when should you not?

Knowing when to use AI and when to step away from it allows you to benefit from the technology without becoming excessively dependent on it.

Rhea Sharma, founder and CEO of DiverseAI, explained why making this distinction is important. She said, "I have always believed healing needs a human touch. AI can hold your hand for a moment, but it cannot hold space for you the way a person can. Use it to find your footing, not to stand still. And always know when it’s time to put it down and reach for someone real.”

This means you cannot treat AI as your therapist. It may help you understand or articulate your feelings, but it cannot provide the empathy, responsiveness, and connection that come from another person.

Rhea asserted AI has limits. Here are when you should use and not use it:

When should you use:

• Good starting point when you just need to check in with yourself, journal, or track your mood before you’re ready to talk to someone.
• Explains things in simple words, without all the medical jargon that can feel cold and confusing.
• Helps you stay consistent between therapy sessions, gently reminding you of what you’re already working on.
• Can be a lifeline when therapy feels out of reach, whether that’s because of money, distance, or simply not being ready yet.
• Genuinely useful for everyday stress, a hard week, a tough decision, that quiet overwhelm we all carry sometimes.

When it’s not okay to rely on AI:

• If someone is in crisis, thinking about ending their life or hurting themselves, that moment needs a real human, immediately, not a screen
• AI cannot diagnose you. It doesn’t know your story, your history, or the weight behind your silence the way a trained professional can sense it.
• Deep wounds, trauma, years of pain— these need a real relationship with someone who can sit with you through it, not just respond to you
• If AI becomes a way to avoid people instead of a bridge back to them, that’s worth noticing.
• Medication is never something to navigate through AI. That conversation belongs only with your doctor.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.