Happy Friday Reader!

I'm writing to you again from my little garage in Venice Beach – the place where my thoughts flow and the AI magic begins.

I just got back from Europe – four weeks of workshops, family, friends, and sea air. One big highlight: sailing by catamaran from Split to Dubrovnik.

Now I’m back in L.A., jet-lagged – with two kids and no school.

And you know how it is: when you’re wide awake at 4 a.m., your thoughts start spinning.

This time, one question just wouldn’t let me go:
​Is ChatGPT actually making me – and my kids – dumber?

The MIT Study That Got Me Out of Bed

The trigger was a new study from the MIT Media Lab called “Your Brain on ChatGPT.”​

In short:
People who write with ChatGPT are less engaged, have worse memory recall – and are less creative.

At first, I was skeptical.

But then I got honest with myself:
Since I got my iPhone, I barely remember phone numbers or addresses.
I completely rely on tech.

I often don’t even think anymore. If I need something, I just Google it.

And ever since I added ChatGPT & Co. to my toolbox, it's gotten even more intense:
I get help with almost everything – from fixing things to creating content.
And I love what these tools make possible.

But it got me thinking:
​What is this doing to my brain over time?​
And even more importantly:
​What is it doing to the way my kids think?

Have you ever asked yourself that?

I did – and I decided to test myself.

My Citizenship Test – With and Without AI

I recently took the U.S. citizenship test:
100 questions on history, politics, and institutions.

And I didn’t just want to pass – I wanted to understand.

So I went back to the basics:
Flashcards. Repetition. Handwritten notes.

At some point I thought: Who’s going to quiz me?
My husband was too tired after work.
My kids? Too small.

So – I turned to ChatGPT as my quiz coach.

I uploaded the questions as a PDF, wrote a quick prompt, put on my headphones – Walk & Talk style.

At first, it was great.
Then... outdated senators, wrong facts.
If I hadn’t studied beforehand, I would’ve believed it – and learned it wrong.

That was my Aha moment.
From that point on, I was sharper. More critical.
​AI isn’t a replacement for my thinking.​
It can help me learn and understand – but only if I’ve already taken the time to think for myself.

And that insight came back to me faster than I expected.

My Daughter Wants to Become Taylor Swift – and She Thinks Critically

A few days later, my 7-year-old came to me:

“Mama, I want to write a song. Like Taylor Swift.”

I could’ve used Suno AI and had a song generated in ten seconds.

But I thought back to that Aha moment.
That I only truly learn when I start with my own thoughts – and let AI support later.

So I said:
​“Okay – but first, let’s learn how to write a song.”​
​The AI can help us later – once we’ve got our ideas.”

She grabbed a piece of paper, sat down at the table – and started writing. Totally in her own world.

We listened to songs, broke down choruses, talked about genres.

Only then did we bring in ChatGPT and Suno – as a critical song coach and creative amplifier.

She learned how to ask for feedback, add twists, and understand what makes a great song.

And that evening? She stood in the kitchen with a wooden spoon as a mic, singing her very first song:
​"I really feel the beat."​

The rest of the family turned dinner into a mini dance party.

Then came her next request: a cover image for her band – “FoxBand.”

We opened ChatGPT.

What did we get?
Muscle-bound foxes in sunglasses. All male.
My daughter just said:
​“I want a female fox.”​
Then came pink dresses.
​“Stereotype,” she said, dryly.

And that led us to a whole conversation about bias, about stereotypes.
About how we can train AI to understand what we actually mean.

With a seven-year-old.

It wasn’t just cute.
It was real, critical thinking – in action.

What I Took Away From All This

It’s not about whether we should use AI – out of fear that it might make us dumber.
It’s about how we use it – so we don’t become mentally lazy.

Or as Ethan Mollick put it in his latest newsletter:
​"AI doesn’t damage our brains. But unthinking use can damage our thinking."

I feel the same way.​
AI doesn’t harm our brains.
But it can make us comfortable –
if we use it without reflection.
And if we don’t teach our kids to do it better.

My Checklist for Smarter AI Use

And that’s my new approach – for me, and for my kids:

🔹 Think first. Then prompt.​
🔹 Write first. Then let AI review.​
🔹 Create first. Then expand.​
🔹 Analyze first. Then validate.

Your ideas. Your voice. Your values.​
AI should amplify you – not replace you.

💬 Now It's Your Turn

How are you using AI to learn – for yourself or with your kids?
What have you noticed?

I’d love to hear your stories.

❤️ from Venice Beach

Simone