Why a neuroscientist warns schools must guard critical thinking, empathy and play as AI advances

# The claim: AI may weaken the very skills schooling should build

Dr Ragnar Purje, a neuroscientist and adjunct senior lecturer at CQUniversity, argues that rising machine capabilities threaten students' capacity for critical thinking, empathy and ethical judgement. He describes present-day systems as "Superior Intelligence," saying they demonstrate capabilities that surpass earlier-stage artificial intelligence and, in some respects, human performance.

Purje frames his concern around how the human brain develops. He says consciousness, cognition and higher-order reasoning take years of learning and human interaction to form. When people rely on machine-based intelligence for thinking tasks, they risk eroding the developmental processes that produce deep understanding and judgement.

# How education policy is responding

Internationally, the OECD's Digital Education Outlook 2026 examined generative AI in classrooms and concluded these tools can improve student performance on tasks but do not automatically produce learning gains. The OECD said generative AI supports learning when its use follows clear teaching principles.

# Performance data and contested trends

Purje cites declines in academic standards alongside rising technology use and references 2026 NAPLAN results. ACARA reported in August that overall results were broadly stable compared with recent years: average numeracy scores in Years 5, 7 and 9 were the highest since 2023, while average reading scores for those year levels were lower than in 2025. The mixed data illustrate that simple claims linking AI use to nationwide declines are not straightforward.

# Development beyond cognition: play, interaction and social media

Purje warns that digital device use can displace physical play and face-to-face interaction. He calls play "the immutable, genetically based, universal developmental process" that develops brain, mind and body for adulthood. His point is that the conditions supporting healthy neurological and social development—unstructured play, interpersonal exchange, practice in judgement—matter for later critical thinking and ethical decision-making.

On regulation, Australia's under-16 social media minimum age took effect on December 10. The eSafety Commissioner reported a fall in the share of under-16s with platform accounts between December and March, though many users retained or reopened accounts because platforms did not apply effective age assurance.

# Where Purje places the stakes

Purje draws an analogy to the Cuban Missile Crisis to emphasise human judgement, empathy and understanding when decisions carry high stakes. He warns humanity faces another crossroads driven by growing machine power and concludes with a cautionary note: "Choices have consequences. Choose wisely. The mythology surrounding Pandora's Box endures for a reason."

# Practical balance implied by the coverage