Prof Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, has warned that regular reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) could have corrosive effects on our brains, drawing parallels with the physical health consequences of sedentary behaviour.
Writing in the Guardian, Sridhar recalled an interview for a major consulting firm in the early 2000s, when she was a postgraduate student at the University of Oxford. Asked about the future of streaming, she gave a long-winded answer about the unintended consequences of new technology on human interaction and health, suggesting that people would not choose to stay home watching shows instead of renting a DVD or going to a movie theatre. She was not invited for a follow-up interview.
The consulting partner saw the potential growth and profitability of streaming, and in hindsight they had a point: Netflix's global revenue continues to rise year on year, reaching $12.6bn (£9.5bn) in 2026. However, Sridhar notes that excessive screen-time has had a negative impact on health and wellbeing, especially on children, with social isolation, anxiety, depression, and sleep disruption now widespread.
Rising AI use among students
More than 20 years later, Sridhar is being asked to talk about AI and its implications for higher education, health, and society. She observes that nearly all of her students use AI, and she worries about its effects. The 2026 Higher Education Policy Institute survey found that 95% of undergraduates reported using AI in at least one way, and 94% said they had used it in assessed work.
At the same time, educational attainment levels are decreasing. A recent OECD report noted that student performance across its member countries continued to decline, with the lowest average ever recorded for maths and reading. The report links these poor scores to longer screen-time, increased digitalisation in the classroom, and the collapse in reading for enjoyment among children.
Evidence of brain effects
Sridhar points to preliminary evidence from a study titled Your Brain on ChatGPT, which used electroencephalography (EEG) sensors to measure electrical activity in the brain. It showed that students using generative AI to write essays had weaker and less distributed brain connectivity than those writing fully on their own.
A lack of mental engagement can lead to losing cognitive function over time. A study of more than 19,000 adults over the age of 50 found that greater participation in cognitively stimulating leisure activities, such as crosswords or sudoku, was linked to lower dementia risk and better cognitive functioning in later life.
Future implications
Sridhar asks whether thinking, reading, writing, and actively using our brains will become activities from a bygone era. She questions what will happen if we stop using our brains to think, socially interact, concentrate, or problem-solve, and whether we will see a rise in chronic disease linked to the brain.
She concludes that tech companies, in an arms race to go faster, are not concerned with these issues. While AI may be wonderful for certain tech companies, it is probably terrible for the mental health and wellbeing of the rest of us.
