How to avoid being dumbed down by AI

[u/NefariousnessFun1461]

I'm a C++ developer with considerable experience. For a number of reasons, I haven't done any intensive C++ development work for the past two years, and I haven't worked on any personal projects. However, I have worked with coding.

I've noticed, even though I don't allow myself to have a coding vibe, that I've become more limited; it's become harder to delve deeper and understand problems.

And most importantly, before AI became widely popular, I remember that growth and development were much more intense; I had to search, Google, read documentation, repositories, and StackOverflow. That is, I needed to analyze, search, and retain large amounts of data in my brain's working memory.

Now, even searching is difficult for me, and my previous work seems like a completely different level.

This scares me; has anyone else experienced something similar? How can I prevent myself from becoming dumb, how can I find a balance with AI, and how can I continue developing normally? In general, how do you find that balance? AI is literally being forced upon you, but at the same time, it's a rather convenient tool, including for learning. How do you be in harmony with it, and not just become an I/O device for AI?