Hello readers. Despite all the talk about artificial intelligence, the most efficient computer on Earth remains the human brain.

It can perform the same number of operations per second as superolo computers in the world, but only requires the reward for the refrigerator lamp.

In the newsletter for this week, I transform from the usual normal macroeconomic analysis into exploring an unconventional idea: the economies of the human mind.

There is an emerging strand of research that emphasizes the importance of “brain capital” – the function of brain health, ability and skills.

It may seem woolen, but it matters for two reasons.

First, since the industrial revolution machines replace human cognitive tasks and routine cognitive tasks in an increasing way. By 2030, the activities of the activities expected to be mostly delivered by people from about 50 percent today will decrease to 33 percent, according to the latest World Economic Forum. Report future jobs. This places the relative feature of humanity in the areas of narrower thinking.

Second, we now live for a longer period. The ages of retirement by the state are less important in knowledge -dependent economies. The cognitive skills of the individual are long -term origins of physical strength.

But “brain capital” is under pressure.

Diseases that affect the function of the brain – including mental health, drug use and neurological disorders – are estimated The global economy costs 5 Americans annually (almost the size of the German economy in nominate today). This is expected to rise to 16 Train by 2030.

According to the World Health Organization, depression is the main cause of disability around the world. Its spread increased by 89 percent Since 1990. Alzheimer’s and other dementia increased by 161 percent, due significantly to the advanced population.

Problems are spread through age distribution. There is a swelling in the missing sanitary years due to the poor mental well -being in the traditional “age of work” arc. But even in retirement, high nervous disorders.

The brain’s ability is also pressed. “Our mental life is more fragmented and scattered than ever,” said Dan Nixon, an expert in “attention economy” – who treats attention as a rare resource in demanding “our mental life is more fragmented and scattered than ever.” “Applications, alerts and notifications are locked in a continuous battle to capture and forget.”

The digital universe is estimated in size every two years, with 2.5 bytes of data created every day. Many of this is now within our hands.

The daily screen time has increased via devices – such as computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, TVs and tools – from 9 hours in 2012 to 11 hours in 2019, with time increasing time on mobile phones by about two hours, according to Global study. (Also received a stumbling block.)

The increasing requirements are limited to our attention through our ability to provide them. This was highlighted by Thales Teixeira, a former professor at Harvard Business College. His research showed how The cost of attention Using, using the price of getting 1000 appearances on TV ads during Super Bowl and peak time in the United States as an alternative. Over time, both of them rose, especially with the growth of the Internet, as the competition for consumer’s interest expanded to other media.

Of course, the screen time also means spending more time reaching exciting news, research and entertainment. But trying to absorb a lot of content has negative side effects.

Metho Storoni, author of the book “Continuous Exposure to Information and Plections, said. joyA book on improving our brains. “The incentive between the incentives reduces our attention, and excessive load can contribute to mental fatigue, poor memory and increased tension.”

In fact, there is a relationship between excessive load and brain health. It was the use of high social media Associated Top levels of depression, especially in younger dust. Also can screen time Excessive symptoms From hyperactivity disorder and attention lack, it has been linked to Risk From dementia.

Digital technology also has an effect on the third component of “brain capital” – skills.

Regardless of technological skills related to Amnesty International, employers to survey Through WeF, creativity, flexibility and analytical thinking said among the best competencies that are likely to grow in importance over the next five years.

These are also tense skills due to pressure on the ability of the brain. Digital deviations can resemble creative thinking, tension and anxiety of excessive load of information can fluctuate. (Nixon mentioned the “amazing motivation” – access to your phone, without a specific reason – the result of hitting dopamine that we test when arriving in digital content.)

What about analytical thinking? Big data, machine learning and broader access to the content have supported our research capabilities. However, the basic skills appear to have included over the past decade.

OECD Explanation of adult skills It indicates that the most advanced economies have witnessed a decrease in the efficiency of literacy from the past decade (even after controlling demographic changes, such as migration). As for the account, the image is more mixed – but it is still worried.

David Robson, science writer and author of the book ” The trap of intelligenceHe has some theories:

Various studies Suggest After it rose in most of the twentieth century, the average performance in intelligence tests began to stabilize or even decline in many countries. These changes may reflect the ways we use our brains. For example, we now use our smartphones for most accounts, so we do not practice some numerical skills regularly. Vocabulary also weakens, perhaps due to changes in people’s reading habits.

Robson added that the skills that have not been captured in intelligence tests, such as rationality and critical thinking, tend to be strongly related to general luxury. But these competencies are also under pressure.

Many studies Distinguish how news feeding algorithms and Clickbait can enhance bias by creating “online echo rooms” and misleading. Both of them were linked High political polarization. In America, the voters’ feelings about the economy reliably fluctuate based on the president’s alignment. The economic confidence index is highlighted in Gallup, but it also shows a general rise in polarity over time. The largest exposure to the confirmed news of the individual’s position online is a potential explanation.

Then there “Google effect“We deal with the search engine as a form of random access memory and remember a few search that can be easily searched as a result.

All of these are our critical thinking, partly by exacerbating innate cognitive biases. This is not new; Even before these effects are present. But the scale and intensity are now unusually greater. In this environment, it is easier to use external sources consciously or unconsciously in other places, and this has effects that justify looking deeper. (Researchers at Cambridge University recently Beware Artificial intelligence scientists for conversation can develop the ability to influence “Nawayana” as well.)

What is the result? Wide access to access to information, global improvements in education and better nutrition, has strengthened all brain capital. But the trends in the health of the brain, the high demands of our attention and the forces that undermine our critical thinking are related.

The human mind is a resource that needs to be strengthened to support luxury, growth and innovation in the long run, especially because technology plays a greater role in our lives and economies. Since the world focuses on the accumulation of trillion in artificial intelligence, it is wise not to neglect the returns that come from investing in real intelligence.

ideas? refute? Send me a message in Freeelunch@ft.com Or on x @Teapperikh90.

Food to think

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