AI tools, from smart assistants to predictive algorithms, have transformed how people process information. The ease of accessing instant solutions has led to cognitive offloading, where individuals shift memory and problem-solving tasks to technology (Nosta, 2025). This phenomenon is not new—search engines have already altered how people retain information, a trend known as the "Google Effect" (Gong & Yang, 2024). However, AI’s increasing role in reasoning and analysis takes this a step further, allowing users to bypass the deep thinking that traditional problem-solving requires.
While cognitive offloading can be beneficial, freeing mental space for complex tasks, it also risks eroding critical thinking when overused. AI-generated content and decision-making tools can discourage independent analysis, making users passive consumers rather than active thinkers.
AI tools, from smart assistants to predictive algorithms, have transformed how people process information. The ease of accessing instant solutions has led to cognitive offloading, where individuals shift memory and problem-solving tasks to technology (Nosta, 2025). This phenomenon is not new—search engines have already altered how people retain information, a trend known as the "Google Effect" (Gong & Yang, 2024). However, AI’s increasing role in reasoning and analysis takes this a step further, allowing users to bypass the deep thinking that traditional problem-solving requires.
While cognitive offloading can be beneficial, freeing mental space for complex tasks, it also risks eroding critical thinking when overused. AI-generated content and decision-making tools can discourage independent analysis, making users passive consumers rather than active thinkers.
n the U.S. people generally use Bitcoin as an alternative investment, helping diversify a portfolio apart from stocks and bonds. You can also use Bitcoin to make purchases, but the number of vendors that accept the cryptocurrency is still limited. Big companies that accept Bitcoin include Overstock, AT&T and Twitch. You may also find that some small local retailers or certain websites take Bitcoin, but you’ll have to do some digging. That said, PayPal has announced that it will enable cryptocurrency as a funding source for purchases this year, financing purchases by automatically converting crypto holdings to fiat currency for users. “They have 346 million users and they’re connected to 26 million merchants,” says Spencer Montgomery, founder of Uinta Crypto Consulting. “It’s huge.”
Telegram and Signal Havens for Right-Wing Extremists
Since the violent storming of Capitol Hill and subsequent ban of former U.S. President Donald Trump from Facebook and Twitter, the removal of Parler from Amazon’s servers, and the de-platforming of incendiary right-wing content, messaging services Telegram and Signal have seen a deluge of new users. In January alone, Telegram reported 90 million new accounts. Its founder, Pavel Durov, described this as “the largest digital migration in human history.” Signal reportedly doubled its user base to 40 million people and became the most downloaded app in 70 countries. The two services rely on encryption to protect the privacy of user communication, which has made them popular with protesters seeking to conceal their identities against repressive governments in places like Belarus, Hong Kong, and Iran. But the same encryption technology has also made them a favored communication tool for criminals and terrorist groups, including al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
