A new MIT study has found that regular use of Artificial Intelligence tools such ChatGPT, may lower brain activity and diminish critical thinking, raising concerns about their growing role in education and professional life.
Frequent use of large language models such as ChatGPT could reduce cognitive activity and impair critical thinking skills, according to a new study by neuroscientists and AI researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The study, conducted at MIT’s Media Lab, examined how digital writing tools influence brain function by monitoring 54 volunteers over a series of essay-writing sessions. Participants were split into three groups: one used ChatGPT, another relied on Google Search, and a third wrote independently without any digital tools. Throughout the sessions, participants wore EEG monitors (Electroencephalogram) to track brain activity and cognitive engagement.
The findings revealed that those who wrote without any assistance demonstrated the highest levels of brain activity and neural connectivity, especially in regions associated with attention and critical thinking. Google Search users showed moderate engagement, while ChatGPT users exhibited the lowest levels of cognitive workload and neural cohesion.
In a follow-up session conducted several months later, participants switched roles. Those who had previously used ChatGPT continued to show reduced brain activity and struggled with memory recall. Conversely, those who initially wrote unaided displayed improved cognitive performance and better retention of their own written content.
Researchers also noted psychological effects. ChatGPT users reported feeling less ownership of their writing and had difficulty recalling phrases they had composed. Teachers assessing the essays found the AI-assisted texts to be more formulaic and lacking in personal voice.
The study warns that while language models can be helpful, especially for efficiency, overreliance on them—particularly in educational settings—could erode independent thinking and analytical skills over time.
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