# AI coding creates two kinds of debt. You’re only measuring one > Source: > Published: 2026-06-18 07:02:17+00:00 June 18, 2026 Estimated reading time: 9 minutes **Key takeaways:** **Cognitive debt** is the**technical debt** nobody is measuring. When AI generates code faster than engineers can understand it, teams lose track of what their system does and why.- The **tool** isn’t the problem – the**relationship with it****is**: two interns used AI at the same frequency. The difference? Whether they engaged with what it produced. **Your satisfaction scores are hiding the problem!** The most reliable signal isn’t how engineers feel, it’s whether their skills are actually developing. Dr. Margaret-Anne Storey, professor of computer science at the University of Victoria, first used the term ‘cognitive debt’ in October 2025 while teaching an entrepreneurship startup course. ## Join LeadDev.com for free to access this content June 18, 2026