AI can boost your thinking but it can also replace it completely. In this episode, we explore how to use AI in a way that strengthens your brain instead of weakening it. Host Olivia Ojala is joined by neuroscientist Mona Moisala and Pactum AI co-founder Kaspar Korjus to discuss what research says about AI’s impact on cognition, memory, and decision-making. When does AI enhance learning, and when does it lead to shallow thinking?

You’ll hear practical insights for professionals and leaders: how to use AI as a co-thinker, what tasks to delegate, how to avoid “AI slop,” and why “think first, prompt second” might be the most important rule of all. A must-listen for anyone navigating AI at work and wanting to stay sharp while doing it.

00:00 – Intro: Is AI Enhancing or Rotting Your Brain?

02:21 – The Neuroscience of AI: Cognitive Offloading vs. Atrophy

04:52 – Think First, Prompt Second: The Golden Rule for Brain Health

06:55 – AI Agents as "Graduate Students": How to Train Your Tools

12:29 – The Fears and Misconceptions around AI

17:34 or 18:46 – Integrating AI at the Workplace: Useful Strategies for Companies and Leaders

20:47 – The Adoption Inequality Gap: Winners and Losers of AI

26:57 – The Fine Line between Outsourcing Tasks for Productivity and Killing Expertise

33:50 – Beware of "AI Slop": Spotting Hallucinations and Fake Citations

36:36 – How AI Really Works: Next-Character Prediction vs. Human Logic

41:26 – Using AI as a Co-Thinker: The Active Way of Using AI at Work

46:17 –  Building Your Brain Muscle Back

47:54 – The 3x Productivity Trap: Why AI Makes Us More Stressed

49:13 – Leading with Empathy: Mental Health in the AI Era

53:48 – Bridging the Generation Gap: How AI Impacts us Across Generations

56:03 – Outro: How to Stay Human in an Automated World