Dropbox weighs brain training so staff stay sharp amid AI use

Dropbox is thinking about giving its workers brain training. The company is considering memory exercises and attention-span training to keep staff mentally sharp as they hand more of their work to artificial intelligence, according to a report from Fast Company.

What is being considered

Dropbox is best known for cloud storage, which means keeping your files online so you can reach them from any device. The company's worry is simple. If people lean on AI for everyday tasks, their own thinking skills could fade. The tools it is weighing are called cognitive training, which means exercises meant to build up memory and focus.

Dropbox has also tried what it calls "analog" offsites. These are company gatherings that step away from screens and digital tools. The report gives no further detail on how they work.

What is not known yet

• Whether Dropbox will actually roll out the training, since it is only being considered.
• Which tools or programs it would use.
• Whether the training would be required or optional.
• Whether any research shows such exercises protect against the effects of AI use.

Why it matters

Many businesses are pushing staff to use AI to move faster. Few have said out loud that there might be a cost to people's own skills. Dropbox is treating that as a real question worth acting on, even if its answer is still taking shape.

What to do

If you use AI at work, it may help to do some tasks by hand now and then. Writing a first draft yourself or working out a figure on your own are simple examples. The goal is to keep your own skills strong while still using the tool.