Psychology professor Svend Brinkmann warns that excessive academic use of artificial intelligence can erode the essential human ability to think independently, advocating instead for mindful reflection through simple, analog practices.
Concern over students relying too much on AI
During a recent drive from Randers to Aarhus, Danish psychology professor Svend Brinkmann was stunned after hearing a radio interview with a student who had used artificial intelligence to complete nearly all his high school assignments. What shocked him was not the technology itself but the way it replaced human thought.
The student admitted to producing around 150 assignments with ChatGPT before eventually being expelled. Brinkmann, a well-known professor at Aalborg University, sees this trend as a sign that society risks outsourcing actual thinking to machines.
The growing issue of AI cheating in education
Across Danish universities, academic misconduct involving AI is rising sharply. A recent survey among the largest institutions reported more than 200 identified cheating cases in the past year, a steep increase compared to only two years ago. High schools are facing similar challenges, with multiple students caught using AI for written exams.
These developments feed into a broader discussion about technology’s place in learning and how much students should depend on machines rather than training their own cognitive skills. Similar concerns have been voiced in reports about declining workplace happiness among young Danes, where efficiency often overshadows personal growth and reflection.
Why thinking for yourself still matters
As Brinkmann explains, there is intrinsic human value in critical and independent thinking. He worries that speed and efficiency, the main advantages of AI tools like ChatGPT, might cost something essential. While AI can deliver a quick summary of scientific studies, he argues that understanding the reasoning behind each step of research is what truly builds knowledge.
For him, research is not about getting to the answer faster but about exploring the process, including mistakes and uncertainties that lead to insight. If students skip this process, universities fail to teach what it means to think deeply.
The temptation of convenience
Brinkmann admits he occasionally uses ChatGPT himself in his research for generating ideas or finding academic references. Still, he calls it a tempting shortcut. It can handle complex tasks in seconds that might otherwise take days, but that kind of speed may remove the slower, more reflective parts of learning that help us understand the world.
He believes that overreliance on AI could affect people’s mental well-being much like other technological dependencies discussed in studies about mental health in Denmark. Human satisfaction often comes not from efficiency but from engagement, curiosity, and the effort involved in solving problems ourselves.
Balancing efficiency with reflection
The former student in the radio interview defended his reliance on AI, saying that employers care mainly about results and not about the process. Brinkmann disagrees. He sees thinking as its own reward, not just a means to an efficient end. Machines can move us quickly from point A to point B, he says, but they cannot experience the meaningful space between those points where creativity happens.
This generational divide between speed and depth reflects how Danish education is adjusting to new norms. For Brinkmann, the priority should be safeguarding the mental resilience that comes from personal effort.
Simple practices to strengthen self-reflection
Interestingly, Brinkmann suggests that defending our capacity to think is not about banning AI but about making room for reflection in daily life. Walking, for example, can help thoughts flow more freely. Physical movement encourages mental clarity and insights. Another method he recommends is solving a crossword or sudoku puzzle without technological help.
These activities, though simple, retrain the brain to handle complexity slowly and with purpose. “Find something you enjoy that requires mental effort,” Brinkmann advises, “and resist the urge to let AI do it for you.”
Because of that, he believes disciplined moments of solitude and manual problem-solving have renewed importance in a world where instant answers dominate. They remind people that learning is not about speed but about ownership of thought.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Declining workplace happiness among young Danes
The Danish Dream: Mental health in Denmark for foreigners
DR: Svend Brinkmann er rystet over studerendes brug af AI: Det har ekstrem stor menneskelig værdi
