Speaking of Psychology

AI “de-skilling”: What happens when we offload our work to AI? With Brooke Macnamara, PhD

July 22, 2026·34 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

From writing emails to analyzing medical images, AI is becoming a routine part of many people's work. These tools can boost productivity and free us from tedious tasks -- but what happens when we start relying on them for skills that once required years of practice to develop? Brooke Macnamara, PhD, discusses the psychology of cognitive offloading; what early research suggests about AI's effects on learning, memory and expertise; why novices and experts may be affected differently by AI tools; and how workers can use AI in ways that support, rather than undermine, their long-term skill development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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