I worry that, at least for now, while a growing minority will benefit more from these tools, most people will surrender essential abilities like creativity, agency, and decision-making to these still-developing AIs,” wrote futurist John Smart in his contribution to the report, The Future of Being Human, shared exclusively with CNN ahead of its release.
These warnings come amid an AI boom, with companies pouring billions into development. Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Meta are racing to launch AI “agents” capable of handling tasks on behalf of users—from scheduling meetings to writing code. While promising, the report warns that this rapid progress could lead people to become overly dependent on AI.
Already, the AI surge has sparked concerns about job loss, misinformation, and how society will adapt. While companies claim AI will free up humans for more creative, meaningful work, the Elon University study questions whether that's truly happening.
Earlier this year, research from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University also suggested that generative AI could impair critical thinking skills.
‘A Deep, Transformative Shift’
To understand AI’s long-term impact, Elon University surveyed 301 tech experts, including Vint Cerf (known as a “father of the internet”), University of Washington professor Jonathan Grudin, former Aspen Institute VP Charlie Firestone, and futurist Tracey Follows. Nearly 200 provided detailed written responses.
Over 60% of those surveyed believe AI will fundamentally transform human capabilities within the next decade. About half said the change will be equally positive and negative. However, 23% predicted mostly negative consequences, while just 16% expected mostly positive outcomes.
The report indicates that by 2035, human traits like emotional intelligence, deep thinking, empathy, and moral reasoning could deteriorate as we turn to AI for tasks that require nuance and connection. If these skills decline, the report warns, society could face growing inequality, polarization, and diminished human autonomy.
Still, the report identified a few areas where AI may have a positive effect: curiosity, learning ability, decision-making, and creativity. Tools that support artistic expression or solve coding problems are already popular, and experts believe AI could also create new jobs that don’t exist yet.
Shifting Human Behavior
Many concerns stem from predictions about how AI will be used by 2035. Cerf, now a VP at Google, anticipates that AI agents will handle everything from booking dinner to negotiating contracts. Companies are already introducing such tools—Amazon’s Alexa can order groceries, and Meta is developing AI-powered customer service chatbots.
These tools could help in fields like healthcare or save time in daily life, but Cerf cautions against growing “technological dependence,” especially when systems malfunction.
“This only works as long as you have electricity,” he noted in a CNN interview. “These dependencies can be amazing, but they also come with serious risks when things go wrong.”
Cerf emphasized the need for transparency in AI systems, calling on developers to maintain audit trails to understand how and why AI makes decisions.
Futurist Tracey Follows added that interactions with AI will soon extend beyond screens, integrating into wearables, homes, and smart buildings. But with this convenience, people may start outsourcing emotional labor—like acts of kindness and caregiving—to machines.
“AI could take over emotional support, fundraising, or caregiving,” Follows wrote. She also warned that people might develop emotional attachments to AI personas, potentially sidelining real, reciprocal relationships in favor of controlled digital ones.
This shift is already underway: some people use AI to recreate deceased loved ones, while others have raised alarms over AI relationships causing harm, especially among young users.
A Defining Decade
Despite these risks, experts agree there’s still time to steer AI development in a more human-centered direction—through regulation, education, and by emphasizing authentic human connection.
Richard Reisman, a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, called this next decade a turning point in shaping AI’s role in society.
“We’re currently being pushed down the wrong path by powerful tech forces,” Reisman wrote. “But we still have a chance to change course and ensure AI enhances humanity, rather than diminishes it.”