Massachusetts: A new study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab has found that students who relied on AI tools like ChatGPT to write essays showed significantly reduced brain activity, weaker memory retention, and lower engagement than their peers who wrote without external assistance.
The study, titled “Your Brain on ChatGPT,” has raised concerns about how large language models (LLMs) may affect human learning and cognitive development over time.
The research involved 54 university students who were split into three groups. One group used ChatGPT to complete writing tasks, the second group used Google for support, and the third group completed their work without any external help.
Over four months, researchers monitored the students’ cognitive performance using EEG (electroencephalogram) scans to measure electrical activity in the brain during writing exercises.
AI Use Linked to Lower Brain Engagement
According to the researchers, the group that used ChatGPT to write their essays displayed a measurable impact on learning capacity, marked by significantly lower brain engagement.
While their AI-assisted essays often appeared polished and articulate, students struggled to recall what they had written or cite specific content. “They did not feel ownership of the work because they hadn’t generated it themselves,” the study noted.
In contrast, students who wrote without assistance showed consistently higher brain activity, stronger memory recall, and original thought processes. Interestingly, the group that used Google displayed moderate brain engagement higher than the ChatGPT group but lower than those who relied entirely on their own reasoning.
Long-Term Impact on Learning Abilities
Throughout the study, researchers observed a noticeable divergence in the cognitive patterns of the three groups.
Students in the ChatGPT group performed worse than their peers across neural activity, linguistic output, and essay scoring throughout the four-month period.
The findings suggest that passive reliance on AI may lead to a decline in learning skills. When students in the AI group were asked to write essays independently without the tool, their brain activity remained low indicating a possible dependency or atrophy of critical thinking faculties.
By contrast, students from the “brain-only” group maintained high levels of neural engagement even when later introduced to ChatGPT.
‘Use AI Wisely,’ Say Researchers
While the study stops short of discouraging the use of generative AI entirely, researchers warn against overdependence. “ChatGPT can be an incredible tool when used to enhance human thought, but not as a substitute for it. Writing is a cognitive process that shapes learning. When we outsource that process entirely, the brain misses out on essential intellectual exercise,” said one of the study’s lead authors.
The study calls for a balanced approach to AI-assisted learning encouraging critical engagement over blind dependence.
