I think it’s also worth pointing out that we’re all working with the limited currencies of time and our own processing bandwidth and that tradeoffs that shift those resources to activities we value more can still be net positives even if a widely valued skill is taking a loss.

Is using GPS making me worse at on-the-fly navigation? Yes. Am I willing to make that tradeoff to free up that brain power for better experiencing my surroundings, listening to an audiobook, etc. while also getting basically a sixth sense of awareness about traffic, obstructions, etc.? Also, absolutely yes. (I do try to temper the loss in several ways though.)

I use (local) LLMs semi-frequently, and I think “net positive” usage of them is definitely possible, but it requires a few things: 1) Be self-aware enough to recognize the tradeoffs you’re making. 2) Be tech and math literate enough to at least have a surface level understanding of how they work, so your tradeoffs are informed. (And yes, I’m aware the vast majority of LLM users do not adhere to either.)