A recent MIT study shows that using AI language models like ChatGPT significantly reduces brain activity during tasks such as essay writing. Compared to people working unaided or using search engines, AI users showed the lowest levels of neural activity and had difficulty recalling or summarizing their own texts.
Using AI from the very beginning led to weaker cognitive performance, while those who first engaged deeply with the topic before turning to AI achieved better results. Although based on a limited sample, the study warns of a potential decline in learning ability and calls for further research into AI’s impact on human thinking.