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Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Science
- Express Tribune
MIT AI study: Using tools like ChatGPT is making you dumber, study reveals
A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggests that frequent use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, may suppress cognitive engagement and memory retention. In the experiment, published by MIT, researchers monitored the brain activity of participants as they wrote essays using different resources: one group relied on LLMs, another used internet search engines, and a third worked without any digital tools. The results revealed a consistent pattern — participants who used GenAI tools displayed significantly reduced neural connectivity and recall, compared to those who relied on their own cognitive abilities. Brain scans taken during the experiment showed that LLM users exhibited weaker connections between brain regions associated with critical thinking and memory. While their essays scored well in both human and AI evaluations — often praised for their coherence and alignment with the given prompt — the writing was also described as formulaic and less original. Notably, those who used LLMs struggled to quote from or recall their own writing in subsequent sessions. Their brain activity reportedly "reset" to a novice state regarding the essay topics, a finding that strongly contrasts with participants in the "brain-only" group, who retained stronger memory and demonstrated deeper cognitive engagement throughout. Participants who used search engines showed intermediate neural activity. Though their writing lacked variety and often reflected similar phrasing, they exhibited better memory retention than the LLM group, suggesting that the process of searching and evaluating sources provided more mental stimulation. In a later phase of the experiment, the groups were shuffled. Participants who had initially used GenAI tools showed improved neural connectivity when writing without digital aids — an encouraging sign that cognitive function could rebound when AI dependence is reduced. The findings could carry important implications for education and the workplace. BREAKING: MIT just completed the first brain scan study of ChatGPT users & the results are terrifying. Turns out, AI isn't making us more productive. It's making us cognitively bankrupt. Here's what 4 months of data revealed: (hint: we've been measuring productivity all wrong) — Alex Vacca (@itsalexvacca) June 18, 2025 With GenAI tools increasingly integrated into school assignments and professional tasks, concerns about cognitive atrophy are rising. Some students now generate entire essays with tools like ChatGPT, while educators rely on similar software to grade and detect AI-generated work. The study suggests that such widespread use of digital assistance — even when indirect — may hinder mental development and reduce long-term memory retention. As schools and organisations continue to navigate the integration of AI tools, the MIT research underscores the importance of balancing convenience with cognitive engagement. Researchers suggest that while GenAI can be a useful aid, overreliance could have unintended consequences for human memory and creativity.
NDTV
a day ago
- Science
- NDTV
ChatGPT making people dumb, brains of youngsters "at highest risk": Study
The researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found alarming trends when they analysed the impact of ChatGPT on the human brain. The artificial intelligence chatbot is making humans 60% faster at completing tasks, but it is also reducing the "germane cognitive load" by 32%. Germane load refers to the effort needed to use memory and intelligence to process information into schemas. The researchers used EEG brain scans on 54 participants, aged between 18 to 39 years, for a period of four months. The paper tracked alpha waves, beta waves and neural connectivity patterns. The subjects were divided into three groups to compare the findings. Researchers revealed that ChatGPT users had the lowest brain engagement and "consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels." The paper is not yet peer-reviewed and the sample size is also relatively small, but the main author, Nataliya Kosmyn, said that she released the findings to understand to highlight the concerns with the usage of large language model (LLM), which is a type of AI programme that can recognise and generate text. "What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in 6-8 months, there will be some policymaker who decides, 'let's do GPT kindergarten.' I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental," Time quoted Kosmyna as saying. "Developing brains are at the highest risk." The study revealed that more than 80% of ChatGPT users couldn't quote from essays they wrote minutes earlier. Essays written by using ChatGPT were extremely similar. When teachers were asked to check them, they said they could feel "something was wrong". The essays were "Soulless", "Empty with regard to content", "Close to perfect language while failing to give personal insights." Higher neural connectivity was seen in people with strong cognitive baselines, as compared to regular AI users. The study was shared on X by Alex Vacca, co-founder of who reacted, saying, "You're trading long-term brain capacity for short-term speed." 83.3% of ChatGPT users couldn't quote from essays they wrote minutes earlier. Let that sink in. You write something, hit save, and your brain has already forgotten it because ChatGPT did the thinking. — Alex Vacca (@itsalexvacca) June 18, 2025 "Every shortcut you take with AI creates interest payments in lost thinking ability," Vacca added.
