Gen-Z has been identified by neuroscientists as the first generation in history to be less intelligent than their parents, and researchers have now pinpointed the possible reasons behind the decline.
Former teacher turned neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, has argued that the people born between 1997 and 2010 (classified as Gen-Z) are less intelligent due to their over-reliance on digital technology in school.
He added: “The human brain is not wired to learn from short video clips online and reading short sentences summarizing larger books and complex ideas.”
The director of LME Global told the United States (US) Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on January 15, 2026 that Gen-Z recorded the lowest levels of cognitive development since records began in the late 1800s.
For context, LMEGlobal is an organization that shares brain and behavioral research with businesses and schools.
Dr. Horvath’s research found that Gen-Z have weaker problem-solving skills, shorter attention spans, declining math skills, reducing their overall IQ. Data collected by the organization showed that cognitive abilities began to decline around 2010.
In an interview with New York PostDr. Horvath said the human brain is biologically programmed to learn from its surroundings and deep inquiry rather than scrolling through screens, adding, “Half of a teenager’s day is spent staring at a screen.”
Other groups of experts appearing before the US Congress agreed that screens interfere with natural biological processes that build deep understanding, memory and focus.
In what appeared to be a criticism of Gen-Z’s perceived “arrogance”, Dr Horvath said: “The smarter people think they are, the dumber they actually are.”
Experts urged the US Congress to consider measures such as banning educational technology in schools to prevent what they described as a “societal emergency”.
