Dropbox Explores Brain Training for Staff Leaning on AI
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Dropbox is worried that employees who hand more work to artificial intelligence may lose some of their own brainpower. The company is considering cognitive training tools, such as memory exercises and attention-span training, to keep staff mentally sharp. It has also tried "analog" offsites, where executives practice breathwork and set electronic devices aside.
"We're incredibly optimistic about [AI's] impact, but we also believe we have a responsibility to understand how it's affecting the people who use it every day," chief people officer Melanie Rosenwasser told Fast Company.
She said Dropbox is starting to explore training in brain health and cognitive well-being, and ways to encourage critical thinking and human connection. "We're approaching this with curiosity and humility, recognizing that this is an emerging area where there is still a lot to learn," Rosenwasser said.
What the evidence says
"Brain rot" has become a term for the cognitive decline linked to AI and social media. Evidence that brain-training exercises raise general intelligence is limited. Some research suggests that targeted exercises can bring lasting gains in specific mental skills. A study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that training in reasoning and processing speed produced benefits lasting up to a decade in older adults.
Other employers
Dropbox would not be the first company to try this. Last year the commercial real estate firm JLL set up a "brain gym" in its Singapore office, with lighted pods and vision training boards. According to Business Insider, participating workers reported better focus and fewer distractions.
In 2024 another commercial real estate company, Fischer, ran a three-month trial with the University of Texas at Dallas. Workers showed measurable progress on an index covering cognitive capacity, well-being, quality of social interactions and complexity of daily routines.
Source: Fast Company