By skyforbes 
Artificial intelligence has taken over every aspect of our lives. Whether you are writing a simple email or you are writing an academic paper, the use of tools like ChatGPT has become almost normalised. We use AI without even giving it a second thought. But what if I were to tell you every time you use ChatGPT to finish homework essays or write an email, your brain quietly starts to go blank? According to new research, this might not be far from reality.
Why ChatGPT is harming you
Recently, researchers at MIT recruited 54 people to write essays. They were split into three groups based on the tools which they were allowed to use to write an essay:
- Group 1: participants used ChatGPT to generate or refine their essays
- Group 2: participants could use Google or other search engines to help them gather information.
- Group 3: participants wrote essays entirely on their own, without any external assistance.
During the task, each participant’s brain activity was monitored using EEG devices. Researchers observed areas of the brain responsible for reasoning, memory, engagement, and critical thinking. The results were shocking:
- The group that used ChatGPT for writing their essays indicated a 47% drop in brain engagement and neural connectivity compared to those who wrote without it. In other words, the areas of the brain responsible for deep thinking and planning simply shut down when AI started doing the heavy lifting.
- Additionally, 83% of ChatGPT users couldn’t recall information they had just written when asked a few minutes later.
- AI users experienced a 32% lower cognitive load with significantly reduced frustration and effort when finding information.
Cognitive Debt
Brain engagement, neural connectivity and cognitive load are crucial elements that are brain uses to learn new information and ideas. When we use AI to circumvent these crucial learning processes, we are directly hindering our ability to form neural pathways to actually understand and retain new information. Over time, this leads to a phenomenon called cognitive debt. Much like financial debt, cognitive debt compounds. The more we rely on AI to think for us, the less capable our brains become of doing it independently.
My take on these findings
This same research also shows that individuals who used ChatGPT were 60% more productive than people who didn’t use AI. Whether or not AI harms your cognitive ability, in many situations, productivity and speed are top priorities. That’s why I think that artificial intelligence should be used as a tool and not as a replacement. It’s great for brainstorming ideas, improving structure, or getting quick feedback — but when we let it think for us, we lose something deeper. The point isn’t to stop using AI. It’s to make sure we still challenge our brains in the process. Because if we stop engaging with our own thoughts, even the best technology can’t save us from becoming mentally stagnant.