Stanford Professor Warns AI Could Fuel ‘Cognitive Sedentary Lifestyle,’ Urges Independent Writing

Stanford University psychology professor Jamil Zaki warned that routinely outsourcing text generation to AI could create a “cognitive sedentary lifestyle” akin to physical inactivity, while flooding the information environment with homogeneous content and causing “textual pollution.” He described independent writing as a “gym for the mind” that turns scattered thoughts into arguments and helps preserve critical thinking and communication skills.

As of July 20, 2026, coverage had focused on Zaki’s insistence on doing his own writing to keep his brain active rather than letting AI write for him. He advocates regularly developing ideas, drafting and revising instead of rejecting AI altogether. The issue involves no investment or transaction value, and no quantitative research findings or formal policy timetable have been announced at this stage.