For young people, AI is now a second brain – should we worry?

‘ChatGPT thinks my crush is sending mixed signals,’ my student said, sounding half-amused, half-exasperated. I must have looked surprised, because she quickly added: ‘I know it’s ridiculous. But I copy our texts into it and ask what he really means.’ She admitted that she’d even asked it to help her write a response that would appear less eager, more detached. ‘Basically,’ she said, ‘I use it to feel like I’m not overreacting.’

In that moment, I realised that she wasn’t asking AI to tell her what to do. She was asking it to help her feel more in control.

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As a resident tutor living with more than 400 university students, I expected conversations about classes and time management. Instead, we talk about breakups, anxiety, ambition and identity.

Lately, however, there’s a new presence in these conversations: AI.

Many college students are no longer using tools like ChatGPT just for summarizing readings or drafting emails. AI in education is evolving into something deeper. For some, it’s a productivity tool. For others, it’s a creative collaborator. And increasingly, it’s becoming an emotional support system.

ChatGPT as a Study Partner and “Second Brain”

Students like Pranav use AI tools daily to code, prototype apps and test ideas. He describes AI as “like having an intern.” It speeds up problem-solving and provides instant feedback.

This reflects a growing trend: artificial intelligence is becoming a thinking partner. Instead of solving problems alone, students now engage in a dialogue with AI. It’s faster, efficient and always available.

But there’s tension. Overreliance on AI risks weakening critical thinking skills. Students are learning to balance convenience with independence — using AI without letting it replace their own reasoning.

AI and Mental Health: A New Digital Companion

Even more striking is how students use AI for emotional support.

Some describe ChatGPT as a therapist or confidante. They ask it how to manage anxiety, process grief or make difficult decisions. AI responds with structured reflection, rational perspective and nonjudgmental language.

In a generation shaped by COVID-19, remote learning and constant digital exposure, AI companionship feels natural. It listens. It remembers. It responds instantly.

But this raises an important question:
If AI can soothe every doubt and guide every decision, do we risk skipping the messy, uncomfortable growth that builds resilience?

Creativity, Boundaries and AI Ethics

Not all students fully embrace AI in every area of life.

Charisma, an aspiring screenwriter, uses AI daily for questions and ADHD-related guidance. Yet she refuses to share her most personal creative writing. She worries about nuance — and about training systems that could later commodify her originality.

Her approach highlights something essential: as AI becomes more integrated into daily life, we must decide what parts of ourselves remain off-limits.

The Psychological Shift of AI Adoption

The real transformation isn’t just technological — it’s psychological.

Private inner dialogue is becoming external. AI is entering the space where we reflect, question and grow. For today’s digital generation, this feels intuitive. For the rest of us, it may signal the future of human-AI relationships.

AI may not replace human connection, but it can quietly reshape it. It offers frictionless comfort — while real growth often requires discomfort.

The Future of AI and Human Connection

As AI adoption accelerates, perhaps the most important skill won’t be technical fluency — but self-awareness.

When students knock on my door, I still listen face to face. Sometimes they seek my perspective. Sometimes they turn to AI.

Maybe there’s room for both.

But the real question remains:
How much of our thinking — and our humanity — are we willing to outsource?

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