How generative AI impacts your brain

Generative AI brain fade? 

The impact on our brains of using technology has long been a source of contention. Does satnav capability stop us reading maps? Not having to remember phone numbers makes us dumber in some way? 

This week one of our smart (and human) Computerworld contributors argued that smart people use AI to get smarter. That the technology will either allow your mental abilities to whither and fade — or make you a lot smarter. And the choice is yours.  

It’s a compelling argument, but our readers seemed less than convinced, asking Smart Answers how generative AI diminishes critical thinking skills. It shouldn’t be surprising that our own generative AI tool doesn’t fully engage with that concept, but Smart Answers is equivocal.  

It says recent research and observations suggest that over-reliance on these technologies can lead to a decline in users’ cognitive abilities, shifting the nature of intellectual engagement rather than eliminating it. Find out more, if your cognitive capabilities can handle it. 

Find out: How does generative AI diminish critical thinking skills? 

Java for AI 

As one of our IT insider contributors wrote this week, Java defies the hype cycle. After 30 years Java is thriving with unmatched enterprise trust, modern AI integration, and a vibrant, global developer community. Hurrah for Java.  

But how is Java being used in AI development, if indeed it is? Readers of CIO.com asked Smart Answers.  

Taking insights from generations of human reporting Smart Answers opines that Java is increasingly being adapted for AI development, with its technical advantages and established ecosystem making it a viable alternative to Python, especially within enterprise environments. 

Find out: How is Java being adapted for AI development? 

The PC: not dead yet  

Mac vs PC is the debate that will never die (until Apple users realize no-one cares, at least). And this week Computerworld published an opinion piece from the excellent Apple Holic blog which claimed that Apple’s most recent results are evidence that the Mac is taking over enterprise IT. Post-PC era, anyone?  

Our readers were more interested in what this means for the PC market in total, asking Smart Answers how the PC market is recovering from a period of slower growth. The good news here is that the global PC market is currently experiencing a recovery, marked by increased shipments in the second quarter of 2025.  

Smart Answers says this resurgence is influenced by various factors, including the impending end of Windows 10 support and the emergence of AI PCs, although the latter’s impact on sales is still developing. 

Find out: What is the current status of global PC market recovery? 

About Smart Answers 

Smart Answers is an AI-based chatbot tool designed to help you discover content, answer questions, and go deep on the topics that matter to you. Each week we send you the three most popular questions asked by our readers, and the answers Smart Answers provides. 

Developed in partnership with Miso.ai, Smart Answers draws only on editorial content from our network of trusted media brands—CIO, Computerworld, CSO, InfoWorld, and Network World—and was trained on questions that a savvy enterprise IT audience would ask. The result is a fast, efficient way for you to get more value from our content.