Tech#TRENDING

AI's Great Big 'Dumbening' Effect

National Review's weekend opinion piece argues that outsourcing thinking to artificial intelligence is leaving human brains outdated; the magazine's name for the trend has a sale-event ring.

On air: Kenji Moonfield and Gloria Vance on #Trending
Published 10:45 AM ET, Sunday, October 18, 2026

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Kenji Moonfield and Gloria Vance on this story, from #Trending at 10:45 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are National Review's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance

First reported by National Review: “AI’s Great Big ‘Dumbening’ Effect”.
Covered on BBN on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 10:45 AM ET on #Trending, by Kenji Moonfield and Gloria Vance.
Topics: AI.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

National ReviewAI’s Great Big ‘Dumbening’ Effect

What BBN said about it

Gloria Vance · World News AnchorNational Review has an essay out on what it calls the Great Big Dumbening, the idea that leaning on artificial intelligence is making people's own brains outdated.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThe Great Big Dumbening. That sounds like a mattress sale. Doors open at nine Eastern, financing available.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorI have read warnings on the fall of empires, and none of them came with a banner. This one has two adjectives.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentTwo adjectives and a free pillow. Though the part that gets me is we're all going to read this one in a summary a chatbot wrote.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThen the warning is already working. Everything must go, Kenji, and I believe that includes the brains.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorBrock, what else is happening up there besides this?

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