Can AI and computer games make you smarter?

[Slightyamusedandsilly]

My opinion is definitely not. But I'm interested in what others think?

AI is a tool you use instead of your brain.

Playing a lot of computer games just makes you better at playing computer games.

I use AI as a research tool, it has no affect on my intelligence but does increase my knowledge on whatever random subject I'm researching.

No

There’s a bit in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy where Ford Prefect is counting aloud, and it says that he’s terribly worried that if humans keep outsourcing this kind of skill to computers they’ll forget how to do it themselves.

Douglas Adams had a very important point. I’ve gone back to doing sums in my head / on paper & then just checking the answers on the computer, because I don’t want to lose that skill.

No. The opposite. There are studies and everything.

Computer games can make you smarter and increase your reflexes and hand eye coordination depending on what you play.

AI stops you using your brain. Why bother learning how to form sentences if AI can write it better for you?

How can ai stop you using your brain? You need to be able to understand how it can work for you. Its a brilliant tool at work. Saves hours of hunting down relevant information. Its just another bit of useful.software.

Not always.

AI is a great tool to do things for you quickly.

Eg writing code. But it helps to know code first and how to construct things, as you can easily tweak it's output.

The problem comes when you just rely on AI to do all your thinking for you.

As for computer games,it depends on the game... mindless/idle games nah. Pointless. But strategy, design, abstract games etc all help boost brain power. Would we say someone playing chess every day is just good at playing chess and there's no other skills being leaned?

No, AI can be a very useful tool.

Collating ideas/reviews/perspectives showing differences and other ways to do things you may not have considered.

When you're like my colleague and uses it for EVERYTHING it's not great m literally gets it to write a "thanks for the information" email to his colleagues

No. Practice can hone your reflexes but computer games cannot improve your logic or your instincts.

Plus spending too much time playing in a make believe world limits your experience to only what is included in the game, making you less able to understand other human reactions.

Well, logic games can improve your logic.... You can play chess , sudoku, Portal etc

A quick Google search will tell you the cognitive benefits of playing video games. Are you researching whether people who think video games are good also think AI is good? Otherwise I can't possibly think why you would throw those 2 together. It's like saying does eating beans and having a cleaner make you run faster.

For chess I think there are diminishing returns. It teaches strategic thinking and learning how to play well and playing it regularly probably helps your brain. But becoming really really good at chess eg leading the tables on online chess or becoming a chess grand master probably doesn't bring much more brain development benefits than just being good at chess. And indeed probably had an opportunity cost since the time taken stops you from being able to do other stuff. But chess grandmasters usually care not about being good at chess, not being generally smart so they won't mind. (Actually in the case of chess there is a bit of an issue with computers and algorithms now threatening to ruin how the game is played).

The same goes for other computer games. Doing a bit of some games probably helps your brain but it doesn't follow doing 10 times more is 10 times as good and they are intentionally addictive.

AI on the other hand might have benefits in some areas for time saving if you k ow how to use it well. But it can only degrade your own cognitive abilities or at best not affect them either way. Expecting otherwise is like thinking GPS will make you better at reading maps or driving a car will improve your running abilities.

Computer games can definitely be educational, and not just the obvious stuff like learning the basics of programming in a fun way. Papers, Please and This War of Mine are games that present you with some really difficult moral questions. Before I Forget illustrates what it's like to live with dementia.

AI is something that I'm yet to be totally convinced about. It can make you more productive but I've seen way too many instances where people are off loading tasks and trusting it blindly.

AI might be good at doing things quickly, but having something to do your job for you isn't going to improve your own knowledge and understanding.

You don't need to play chess on a computer. Some games are deliberately designed to boost brain power, there was one called Brain Training that my dc used to play, but the overwhelming majority of games aren't like that.

A lot of the women at work use AI to write emails for them. That is so lazy. I've always prided myself and been complimented on how I compose emails, write reports etc, and now I feel like I don't have any discernible skills.

That said, I absolutely love AI for research purposes. It can bring the info you need together, without having to trawl through pages on Google. You can ask it for sense checks, to summarise things for you, etc. If you use it properly, it's absolutely invaluable.

The computer game argument is one I hear ad infinitum from teenagers.

AI isn't yet able to write better than most people. It's formulaic and overly waffly. Very easily detectable. I'm certain it'll get there though. It's already noticeably better than 2 years ago. I AM a bit shocked it hasn't improved faster, to be honest!

@monymonymony Are you researching whether people who think video games are good also think AI is good? No, it was a recent exam question and of course, teenagers are all for gaming & AI, so I thought I'd check in with some adults, just out of interest.

@LondonLass2026, I don't find it that helpful for research. It never gives me the info I'm looking for (maybe my bad phrasing of questions). It also gives fake quotes (as I've discovered to my detriment after hours of trawling through texts trying to find the reference information!).