Professional Cognitive Surrenderer
The author reflects on their increasing reliance on large language models (LLMs) for cognitive tasks, leading to a decline in their own critical thinking skills. They express concern that this trend may be affecting many software engineers who find it easier to delegate tasks to AI. The author aims to regain their cognitive abilities by consciously reducing their dependence on LLMs and writing independently.
- ▪The author humorously refers to themselves as a 'Professional Cognitive Surrenderer'.
- ▪They acknowledge a growing dependency on LLMs, which has led to atrophied critical thinking skills.
- ▪The author plans to break this habit and regain their cognitive abilities by writing without the assistance of LLMs.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Professional Cognitive Surrenderer 24 May, 2026 I've jokingly changed my LinkedIn title to "Professional Cognitive Surrenderer". It's probably a subconscious attempt to hide my shame and disappointment in myself in plain sight. A sublimation of a growing problem I didn't want to admit I have. Later in that same week I felt I've hit rock bottom. I was knee deep in a claude-opus-4-7 (or was gpt-5.5-pro? who knows at this point) made plan, staring at a mountain of bullet points, check lists and notes with dread and a sense of complete overwhelm. I realized it's time I come clean with myself with a formal statement: My name is Lior and I have a problem.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at unlike.ly.
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