Increasing reliance on artificial intelligence tools has raised new concerns among researchers, who say outsourcing your thinking to such systems could impact memory, creativity and overall cognitive performance.
Natalya Kosmina, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said she first noticed the pattern while considering internship applications. She noticed that some cover letters were strikingly similar in tone and structure and suggested the use of an extensive language model.
At the same time, Cosmina said she observed students struggling to retain information during class compared to previous years. This led her to investigate whether increased reliance on AI tools is impacting cognitive processes.
Study results show decreased brain activity
Cosmina and her team conducted an experiment with 54 students divided into three groups. One group used ChatGPT, another relied on search engines without AI summaries, and a third group completed the task without using any technology. Brain activity was recorded while participants wrote their essays.
The results showed that students who relied on AI tools had significantly lower brain activity. Kosmina said the group’s activity levels dropped by 55 percent compared to those working without support.
She said the decline was particularly pronounced in areas related to creativity and information processing. Participants using the AI also reported having trouble remembering and citing their own work after completing the task, and felt less ownership over their essays.
Concerns about memory and critical thinking
The researchers said the results were consistent with widespread research on “cognitive offload,” where individuals rely on external tools rather than internal processing. A similar pattern has been observed in previous research on search engines, often referred to as the “Google effect,” where people are less likely to retain information.
Additional research suggests that frequent use of AI tools can reduce critical thinking skills, especially among younger users. Another study cited in the study describes a phenomenon called “cognitive surrender,” where users accept AI-generated responses with minimal scrutiny.
Long-term risks remain uncertain
The current findings have not yet been peer reviewed, but the researchers said they raise questions about potential long-term effects. A follow-up study conducted several months later showed that students who had previously relied on AI had weaker neural connections when asked to work independently.
Computational neuroscientist Vivian Min said over-reliance on AI could affect long-term cognitive health. She added that if such a pattern persists, decreased mental effort, as measured by decreased brain activity, may be associated with decreased cognitive function.
However, both researchers noted that AI can still be useful when used as a support tool rather than a replacement for thinking. They suggested that individuals should first tackle problems independently before seeking help from AI.
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