Concerned about its workers losing brainpower as they outsource work to artificial intelligence, Dropbox is considering using cognitive training tools, like memory exercises and attention-span training, to keep them mentally sharp.
The cloud storage pioneer has also experimented with “analog” offsites, where executives practice breathwork and put aside their electronic devices.
“We’re incredibly optimistic about [AI’s] impact, but we also believe we have a responsibility to understand how it’s affecting the people who use it every day,” Melanie Rosenwasser, the cloud storage pioneer’s chief people officer, told Fast Company.
“Brain rot” has emerged as a term to describe the cognitive decline caused by AI and social media, as studies have shown. “That’s why we’re beginning to explore training around brain health and cognitive well-being, while also experimenting with ways to foster critical thinking and human connection,” said Rosenwasser.
While evidence is limited that brain-training exercises improve general intelligence, some research suggests that targeted exercises can produce lasting improvements in specific mental skills.
A National Institutes of Health-funded study found that training in reasoning and processing speed, for example, produced benefits that lasted up to a decade in older adults.
“We’re approaching this with curiosity and humility, recognizing that this is an emerging area where there is still a lot to learn,” Rosenwasser said.
Dropbox would not be the first company to provide such exercises to workers.
Last year, commercial real estate giant JLL set up a “brain gym” in its Singapore office featuring “lighted pods” and “vision training boards.” Workers who participated reported better focus and fewer distractions, according to Business Insider.
In 2024, another commercial real estate firm, Fischer, partnered with the University of Texas at Dallas on a three-month trial program intended to “improve cognitive performance and support better work habits.”
The workers showed measurable progress on a composite index measuring “cognitive capacity, sense of well-being, quality of social interactions and complexity of daily routines,” researchers said.