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How AI is affecting me as a human (and journalist)

Axios · · 800 words · By Amy Harder
Cognitive Decline AI Integration in Journalism Human-AI Interaction

The author reflects on their personal experience using AI in their professional and personal life, noting both efficiency gains and concerns regarding cognitive decline. The piece discusses the potential for AI to reduce intellectual engagement and the author's subsequent efforts to set boundaries on its use.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://axios.com/2026/01/06/ai-brain-journalism-guardrails

analyticsAnalysis

20%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
warning
Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

8 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 5
info Single Source 3
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“A recent MIT Media Lab study found students who used ChatGPT to write essays showed significantly lower cognitive engagement.”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web search results confirm a study from MIT's Media Lab indicating that students using ChatGPT for essay writing showed lower cognitive engagement and brain activity compared to those using Google or no tools.
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web search NEUTRAL — People who use ChatGPT have lower brain engagement than those who refrain from using the generative AI tool, according to a study from MIT's Media Lab. The study divided subjects into three groups: on…
https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/chatgpt-harms-brain-acti…
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web search NEUTRAL — Chat AI iStock. A new MIT study warns that regular use of ChatGPT could impair memory, brain activity, and critical thinking. Students relying on the AI tool showed significantly lower cognitive engag…
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/is-ch…
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web search NEUTRAL — The study, conducted by MIT’s Media Lab, reveals that students using ChatGPT for essay writing exhibited alarmingly low brain activity, weak memory retention, and diminished ownership of their work co…
https://computing.news/2025-06-25-chatgpt-use-erodes-critica…
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“Axios itself is integrating AI tools into our newsroom workflow.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm Axios is integrating AI tools into its newsroom, specifically mentioning collaborations with OpenAI to enhance local journalism workflows.
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web search NEUTRAL — What are some of the most meaningful ways AI is helping Axios Local reporters work faster and serve their communities better? What’s your vision for where journalism is headed over the next five to te…
https://openai.com/index/axios-allison-murphy/
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web search NEUTRAL — Axios will expand its local news coverage to four new cities—Pittsburgh, Kansas City (Missouri), Boulder (Colorado), and Huntsville (Alabama)—enhancing its footprint in community-driven journalism. Th…
https://www.allaboutai.com/ai-news/axios-expands-with-openai…
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web search NEUTRAL — Axios’ local news expansion plans. Axios has hired 20 new reporters (and three associate editors) to launch local newsletters in eight cities between Sept.Modern Newsroom. Forbes is building more AI t…
https://digiday.com/media/how-axios-is-tackling-local-news-n…
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“Our journalists can use them to take a first stab at alt text for photos and charts so they're more accessible, to research new topics, to sort through huge datasets for trends, and to get suggestions for smoother language.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms Axios uses AI in its newsroom (Claim 1), the specific list of tasks (alt text, dataset sorting, language suggestions) is not explicitly detailed in the provided search results, which focus on general local news expansion and OpenAI collaboration.
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web search NEUTRAL — Axios (styled ΛXIOS in the logo) is an American news website based in Arlington, Virginia. It was founded in 2016 and launched the following year by former Politico journalists Jim VandeHei, Mike Alle…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axios_(website)
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web search NEUTRAL — Smart, efficient news worthy of your time, attention, and trust. Covering local news, politics, health, climate, tech, media, business, sports, world, science and more.
https://www.axios.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Requests can be made by passing the relevant config to axios. For convenience, aliases have been provided for all common request methods. When using the alias methods url, method, and data properties …
https://www.npmjs.com/package/axios
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“We ceded handwriting to computers.”
CORROBORATED
Evidence from Wikipedia and other web results indicates that computers and tablets have significantly impacted and replaced traditional handwriting practices in many contexts.
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web search NEUTRAL — This writing style is distinct from "print-script" using block letters, in which the letters of a word are unconnected.The origins of the cursive method are associated with the practical advantages of…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive
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web search NEUTRAL — Further, the widespread use of tablet computers has had a great impact on handwriting in the current generation. But, is it advisable to teach how to write and to assess handwriting in pre- and primar…
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27672372/
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web search NEUTRAL — Computers and phones have become the go-to note-taking method for many. But your brain benefits from an old-fashioned pen and paper. This article originally appeared on The Conversation, and is republ…
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200910-the-benefits-o…
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“We ceded math to calculators.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources discuss how calculators have replaced manual mathematical calculations and the potential for them to replace mental capacities.
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web search NEUTRAL — The Use of Calculators in Teaching Mathematics: A Survey in Vietnam.In general, most students only use hand-held calculators at the level of performing simple calculations, but have not applied them t…
https://files.commons.gc.cuny.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/34462…
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web search NEUTRAL — The use of calculators in teaching mathematics: A survey in Vietnam. Mathematics Teaching-Research Journal, ISSN 2573-4377, vol 15, number 4, pp.05-25 (Scopus).
https://www.academia.edu/107457335/_109_Nam_Danh_Nguyen_Hung…
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web search NEUTRAL — Scientific calculators have made mathematics more accessible than ever before. Still, they also have the potential to replace our dwindling mental capacities and take away the core element of human in…
https://mbrannon336.medium.com/scientific-calculators-have-e…
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“We ceded direction to GPS.”
CORROBORATED
Wikipedia and other sources confirm that GPS has replaced traditional navigation methods (like using constellations or physical maps) for the majority of users.
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web search NEUTRAL — The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31.[2][3] It is one of the global navigation …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System
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web search NEUTRAL — In conclusion, GPS has many advantages over traditional navigation methods. GPS is more accurate, provides real-time updates, is more convenient, versatile, cost-effective, and safer than traditional …
https://trackstick.com/the-advantages-of-gps-over-traditiona…
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web search NEUTRAL — GPS stands for Global Positioning System, and it lets us know where we are and where we are going anywhere on Earth.Sailors used the constellations, sun, and moon to navigate to distant shores. Today,…
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/gps.html
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“We ceded our attention to social media.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results provided for this claim are entirely irrelevant, returning results for the 'Social Security Administration' (SSA) instead of 'social media' and human attention.
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web search NEUTRAL — An online my Social Security account provides you with personalized tools, whether you receive benefits or not. With this free and secure account, you can request a replacement Social Security card, c…
https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/
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web search NEUTRAL — Your most-needed services, online With a secure my Social Security account, you can get services and manage your benefits—anywhere, anytime.
https://www.ssa.gov/
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web search NEUTRAL — Sign In or Create an Account By signing in or creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Act Statement and Terms of Service. If you already have a Login.gov or ID.me account, do not create a new on…
https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action
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“Mark Manson, a bestselling self-help author, wrote recently: 'The more I use it, the more I think, "I should be finding more ways to use this."'”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the evidence confirms Mark Manson is a bestselling self-help author, the specific quote regarding his use of AI is not found in the provided search results.
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web search NEUTRAL — Mark Manson is an American self-help author and blogger.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Manson
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web search NEUTRAL — Mark Manson — Author of the #1 NYTimes bestselling books, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and Everything is F*cked.Learn More About Mark.
https://markmanson.net/
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web search NEUTRAL — In 2016, Mark Manson wrote a book called The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck. After he wrote it, it became an instant best-seller. His book have sold millions of copies and it is one of the most famou…
https://medium.com/illumination/want-to-become-successful-in…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.