Bosses think AI will boost productivity — but it's actually deskilling workers, a professor says

As companies increasingly integrate AI technologies to enhance productivity, a concerning trend is emerging. Professor Anastasia Berg from the University of California, Irvine, has raised alarms about the potential decline in essential skills among employees who over-rely on these tools. During a recent appearance on "The Philosopher" podcast, Berg shared insights drawn from her research and discussions with industry colleagues, indicating that heavy dependence on AI is leading to a significant loss of core competencies. "We have a tremendous amount of empirical data on this question of skill attrition or skill atrophy," she stated, emphasizing that while acquiring skills is often discussed, maintaining them is equally crucial. Although specific studies were not referenced, existing research from Oxford University Press and other academic journals highlights a troubling pattern: while AI may enhance the speed and engagement of learning, it often compromises depth, critical thinking, creativity, and long-term skill acquisition. Berg pointed out that junior employees are particularly susceptible to this deskilling phenomenon. She noted that in fields like computer science, novices who rely heavily on AI tools are missing out on fundamental coding skills, such as writing and debugging. "It's one thing for a senior coder to utilize AI, but junior developers can become ineffective if they can't learn without it," Berg explained. Because they depend on AI from the outset, these individuals often fail to grasp the foundational knowledge necessary to understand or validate the AI's outputs. The issue extends beyond workplace applications. Berg observed that adults are increasingly turning to chatbots for various aspects of their lives, including emotional support and decision-making. This trend, she argues, undermines independent judgment. Research analyzing 1.58 million ChatGPT conversations revealed that by mid-2025, around 73% of adult interactions with the AI were unrelated to work, indicating a broadening scope of AI dependency. Such reliance, Berg warns, diminishes the cognitive skills required for specialized jobs and everyday living. AI does not just automate tasks; it also automates the processes that help individuals cultivate their skills. As workers become more dependent on AI, they lose the essential friction that sharpens their reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. Berg cautions that if companies continue to embed AI into various workflows under the guise of efficiency, they risk nurturing a generation of employees who might seem productive on paper but lack the fundamental skills to operate independently. In essence, the quest for productivity through AI could inadvertently lead to the erosion of the workforce's capabilities.