TLDR: Mental health professionals are raising concerns that the excessive use of Artificial Intelligence, particularly generative AI tools, could hinder creative thinking, reduce critical engagement, and impact overall cognition. The tendency of AI to ‘hallucinate’ content and blur the lines between reality and fabrication is a key concern.
Bhopal, India – August 2, 2025 – The burgeoning reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its generative tools is prompting serious concerns among mental health professionals regarding its potential to diminish human creative thinking and critical engagement. Dr. Pratima Murthy, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bengaluru, speaking at the National Consultation on Adolescent Mental Health in Bhopal, cautioned that the pervasive use of these technologies may ‘blunt creative thinking and reduce critical engagement.’
Dr. Murthy highlighted the cognitive risks associated with increased digital tool exposure, noting a rise in cases of reduced attention spans, memory issues, and a decline in creative involvement. She drew upon experiences from NIMHANS’ SHUT clinic, which addresses challenges faced by adolescents due to compulsive screen use and behavioral addictions. The discussion underscored the dual nature of technology as both a tool and a challenge, particularly in addressing mental health issues among young people across India.
A significant concern raised by Dr. Murthy is the increasingly surreal quality of AI-generated visuals and content. She emphasized the growing unease over how artificial content blurs the boundaries between reality and fabrication, prompting critical questions about its psychological and societal impact. To illustrate the diminishing creative value, Dr. Murthy shared her own observation: ‘You ask AI to write poems—it’s great fun the first time, but then the second time you see it doing the same.’
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Furthermore, Dr. Murthy commented on the inherent danger in AI-generated writing’s ‘ability to make up things on the go,’ stressing the critical need for rigorous fact-checking and careful scrutiny of AI outputs. The ethical dimensions of AI use are equally pressing, with Dr. Murthy advocating for the development of responsible frameworks for interacting with AI that consider the moral complexities of these digital systems.
