The MIT Media Lab study warns that prolonged use of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT can lead to cognitive decline, particularly affecting critical thinking, creativity, and memory retention. The research involved 54 participants aged 18 to 39, divided into three groups: one using ChatGPT for essay writing, one using Google Search, and one writing without any digital tools. Electroencephalography (EEG) measured brain activity during the tasks.Key findings include:
- ChatGPT users exhibited the weakest brain connectivity and lowest neural engagement compared to the other groups, underperforming at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels across four months of testing.
- These users became progressively lazier, often resorting to copying and pasting AI-generated text rather than engaging deeply with the material. Their essays were less original and showed reduced ownership and understanding of their work.
- When ChatGPT users were later asked to write essays without AI assistance, they demonstrated poorer memory recall and produced more superficial and biased content, indicating a “cognitive debt” that impairs independent thinking and learning.
- In contrast, the Brain-only group (no tools) showed the strongest, most distributed brain networks, highest engagement, and better memory retention, while the Search Engine group had intermediate results.
- The study’s lead author, Nataliya Kosmyna, highlighted concerns about the impact of early and widespread AI use in education, especially for developing brains, warning that reliance on LLMs could be detrimental to long-term cognitive development and critical inquiry.
- Experts note this study provides the first neurological evidence supporting fears that over-reliance on AI may fundamentally alter human cognitive processes, creating a feedback loop of dependency and skill degradation.
While preliminary and with a relatively small sample size, the findings raise serious questions about the educational implications of LLM dependence and underscore the need for careful consideration and further research on AI’s role in learning.
As a result, the MIT study suggests that frequent use of ChatGPT for tasks like essay writing may cause cognitive decline by reducing brain engagement, critical thinking, creativity, and memory, especially in younger users or learners.