Stanford University professor insists on writing manually to avoid the “cognitive sedentary” crisis caused by AI

As generative AI technology becomes increasingly common in academic and workplace settings, the proportion of humans relying on algorithms to produce text has risen significantly. Jamil Zaki, a psychology professor at Stanford University, recently expressed concern about this trend. In a course he leads, he has reinstated paper-based exams to ensure students maintain independent thinking abilities. Zaki noted that while AI can improve the efficiency of basic document processing, the large volume of machine-generated “textual pollution” is damaging the quality of public communication. More importantly, writing is not only a production tool, but a key process for deepening logical thinking. In the face of the “cognitive sedentary” phenomenon brought by technological automation, sustained independent writing will become a core way to keep the mind active.

The shift in workplace writing value and the impact of automation

In the past, writing was central to university education, and all kinds of business reports relied heavily on human labor. However, as AI technology matures, most routine writing can be replaced by automated tools. Professor Zaki said the incentive for younger generations to spend time perfecting traditional memos has dropped dramatically, and simply requiring writing to meet job demands is no longer convincing. This shows companies are adapting to communication patterns where AI handles the work, and the value of basic text production is undergoing a structural shift.

A flood of low-quality content creates the “textual pollution” phenomenon

When AI is widely used to generate work deliverables, it often produces large amounts of shallow “AI workslop.” Professor Zaki defines this as “textual pollution,” arguing that it creates negative externalities for the overall information environment. Research shows that AI-generated text tends to be banal and formulaic. Many posts appear encouraging, moving, or thought-provoking, but at their core they are empty. In the workplace, reports lacking substantive content force colleagues to spend extra time interpreting and reorganizing them, creating hidden operational costs.

Writing is thinking by nature; AI will lead to “cognitive surrender”

Over-reliance on AI to do thinking for us creates a risk that humans will face “cognitive surrender.” Studies indicate that when users rely on robots to answer logic problems, the detection rate for wrong answers is less than 20%. Professor Zaki emphasized that writing is thinking by nature, and the ability to convert scattered thoughts into language is the key to deepening critical thinking. Without this conversion process, humans’ analytical and argumentative abilities will become superficial, affecting the quality of business decisions.

Writing as “thought training” in the age of cognitive sedentary life

As automation replaces labor, modern people combat the health risks of physical inactivity through exercise. Similarly, after AI takes over cognitive work, the human brain is also facing the challenge of “cognitive sedentary” behavior. In response to this trend, Professor Zaki compares independent writing to a gym for human thinking. Even if AI’s computing power may eventually surpass human insight, regular writing practice remains a necessary means to keep cognitive operations healthy. Treating writing as everyday cognitive resistance training helps maintain core competitive advantages in the AI era.

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