LONDON: The Royal Observatory Greenwich has warned that growing dependence on artificial intelligence tools for instant answers and problem-solving could weaken human intelligence and critical thinking.
The warning comes as generative AI systems become increasingly embedded in everyday life, from search engines and chatbots to educational tools and workplace software.
Paddy Rodgers, director of the Royal Museums Greenwich group, which oversees the Royal Observatory, said excessive reliance on AI risks undermining the habits of curiosity and evaluation that drive scientific discovery and innovation.
“A reliance solely on instant answers risks losing the habits of questioning and evaluation that underpin knowledge, expertise and innovation,” Rodgers said.
The Royal Observatory, one of Britain’s oldest scientific institutions, is currently undergoing a major redevelopment project called First Light aimed at reconnecting modern audiences with centuries of astronomical research and discovery.
Rodgers said many of history’s most important scientific breakthroughs came from human exploration, persistence and unexpected findings — processes that cannot easily be replaced by AI systems.
Human curiosity behind discovery
According to Rodgers, early astronomers at the observatory collected massive amounts of data about the skies without knowing how future generations might use it.
Some of that information later helped scientists better understand navigation and Earth’s movement.
“The human beings did things a machine would not do,” Rodgers told the media, stressing that experimentation and curiosity often produce discoveries beyond their original purpose.
His comments come amid rapid global growth in AI technologies capable of generating text, images, video and complex analytical responses within seconds.
AI’s growing role in science
Despite the concerns, researchers acknowledge that AI is already contributing to scientific progress.
Last year, computer scientist Demis Hassabis shared the Nobel Prize for Chemistry after using AI systems to predict the structures of proteins, a breakthrough seen as highly significant for biology and medicine.
AI company DeepMind developed the AlphaFold2 system behind the research.
Supporters argue AI can improve learning and productivity when used responsibly.
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman recently described AI as a major transformation in “cognitive excellence,” encouraging people to use the technology to challenge assumptions and test ideas.
Some educators also believe AI can help students focus on deeper learning rather than repetitive tasks.
Concerns over reliability
Critics, however, warn that quick AI-generated responses may distance users from original sources and independently verified information.
Rodgers said earlier internet tools such as online encyclopedias still allowed users to trace information back to primary sources, while AI-generated summaries may obscure how answers are produced.
The debate comes as AI-generated responses increasingly replace traditional web search links on platforms such as Google, TikTok and X.
Experts say the growing influence of AI is likely to reshape how people learn, research and interact with information in the years ahead.
