Relying on ChatGPT could impact how we think
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A new study from MIT researchers found that people who relied on ChatGPT to write essays showed lower brain engagement and weaker performance on measures of thinking and recall than those who worked without AI or used traditional search tools. The research, based on EEG scans and essay assessments, raises concerns that heavy use of AI assistants could make users less likely to engage deeply with problems and may erode critical thinking skills over time. While the findings are early and not yet peer-reviewed, they raise questions about how heavy reliance on AI might affect learning, memory, and independent problem‑solving.
Source
Kosmyna, Nataliya & Hauptmann, Eugene & Yuan, Ye & Situ, Jessica & Liao, Xian-Hao & Beresnitzky, Ashly & Braunstein, Iris & Maes, Pattie. (2025). Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task. 10.48550/arXiv.2506.08872.
Additional Reading
https://time.com/7295195/ai-chatgpt-google-learning-school/
https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/your-brain-on-chatgpt/
https://mashable.com/article/chatgpt-writing-study-mit-cognitive-cost