*Published: 12/09/2025* I have been working with Cursor AI for 8 months intensively in my corporate job. Recently, I conducted an experiment that is quite unusual these days. I wanted to solve the task without using any help from AI. I have used web searches, Stack Overflow, and, more importantly, I have started writing code with my hands. Guess what? I have felt mental pain because I needed to write this code. After a few hours, I was exhausted. Is this me? Am I the same person who some time ago could write code for hours in hyperfocus? I have unlearned how to solve problems without any help. Am I junior again? Perhaps it’s just me, because when I open LinkedIn, I see how much AI helps, and how people are happier when they use AI tools. Or maybe people like me are silent because it’s a shame to talk about failures in this successful world? Or perhaps they are quiet because they assume that showing scepticism about AI will create a problem in their current job or hinder their ability to find a new one. AI doesn’t need to be smarter than us to be dangerous. It just needs to make us dumber. As we increasingly outsource our thinking to machines, the ability to solve problems with our hands and brains is becoming a rare skill. ## The illusion of progress People commonly say that the main advantage of using AI is to make things faster. But is it the case for all problems? Do all companies work in an ASAP culture? Is it really developing things with AI faster? When I started writing code in C#, I used Cursor a lot, because I had a skill issue. I was familiar with general programming principles, and I had written code in a few other languages. But I didn’t know C#. Using AI was magical because I felt that I was more capable than I actually was. Also, at the beginning of my C# career, I worked on relatively simple tasks that didn’t require advanced .NET/C # skills. After six months, I started feeling frustrated with using Cursor because, in the meantime, I had learned C# a little bit, and things that Cursor did for me started to look less magical than before. I realized that the code produced by the Cursor is a mess. Additionally, I began working on problems that the Cursor was unable to solve. So, I needed to solve problems by hand, but wait - it wasn't as easy as I thought. After months of using Cursor, writing code started to be painful. Being focused was aching even more. ## The skills we’re losing AI can help us with many things, such as writing, problem-solving, finding information, memorizing, and… thinking. But should we put thinking into AI? I am confident we shouldn’t, mainly because AI is not capable of thinking. It just produces words. However, it appears to be thinking. This is another illusion that many people buy as fact. AI helps with current problems, but it can also create a long-term dependence. Take a look: - When you use Grammarly, you will not learn grammar - When you use Google Maps, you will not be able to travel anywhere without this app and GPS. - When you ask AI about a solution to each problem, you will not be able to solve the problems by yourself. A person without critical thinking skills becomes as stupid as these language models. ## The counterargument You can respond that “AI is just a tool — it’s up to us to use it responsibly,” but this isn’t enough, because using AI is addictive. As I pointed out before, especially when you do not have the skills for something, help from AI looks like a magical thing. Then you are more and more addicted, and don’t see that you fall into the trap of getting rid of your basic skills. Theoretically, you can feel that you learn when you use AI, but when you do a real test: disable internet connection, disable AI, have only a problem and a sheet of paper. Then you see a real problem. Then you see, oh, I can’t even start. Where is my AI friend, oh gosh! You thought you learned a lot and gained new skills thanks to AI, but in reality, you learned almost nothing and lost some of your existing skills. Thanks, AI! ## Reclaiming our skills I have experienced all of this that I described in my life and work. I used Cursor for everything at the job, and I even used AI to write my journal. I stopped blogging because I couldn’t find the motivation to write an article on my own. But the human brain is remarkably capable of learning and adapting throughout life. We can reclaim our independence by consciously training our skills. You can achieve independence by learning. You can still use AI, but you can also practice skills without AI assistance. You can try first, solve the problem by yourself, and ask AI for help after a few tries. _If you’re unsure where to start, I recommend installing NeoVim. I did this, and I have many problems to solve, many opportunities to learn new things, and a lot of fun!_ ## Conclusion Artificial intelligence is supposed to improve our quality of life and work, but the hidden cost is that we become dependent and subservient to machines and the corporations that produce them. We’ve outsourced so much thinking that we risk becoming consumers, rather than creators of knowledge. When we use AI, we need to consider whether we are using AI or if AI is actually using us. --- #AIImpact #FutureOfWork #AISkills #programming #CursorAI #digitalwellbeing