A new study has sparked debate after suggesting that Generation Z — those born between 1997 and 2010 — may be less cognitively capable than previous generations, with excessive dependence on technology identified as a major factor.

Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath, who led the research, said the findings mark a historic break from long-standing trends. “Every generation has outperformed their parents — until Gen Z,” he said, noting that young people today often show weaker attention spans, poorer problem-solving skills, and declining performance in reading and mathematics.

Horvath also pointed to what he described as misplaced confidence among many young people. According to him, an inflated sense of intelligence often masks underlying cognitive gaps.

The study found that teenagers now spend more than half of their waking hours on screens, frequently consuming short, skimmed content rather than engaging in sustained, deep learning. Horvath stressed that humans are biologically wired to learn through direct human interaction and focused study, not constant scrolling through summaries and snippets.

Data drawn from 80 countries further showed that heavy use of digital technology in classrooms is linked to poorer academic outcomes. Horvath warned that education systems are increasingly being reshaped to suit technology rather than educational goals, describing the trend as “surrender, not progress.”

He called on governments and policymakers to act decisively to protect future generations, particularly Generation Alpha, by creating learning environments that strengthen cognitive development and reduce over-reliance on digital tools.