Excessive Dependence on AI May Deteriorate Cognitive Abilities, Study Finds

A recent MIT study highlights the adverse effects of excessive reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT on cognitive abilities. The study involved participants who were divided into three groups, each tasked with writing an essay using different resources: one with ChatGPT, another with a search engine, and the last without any tools. Brain activity was monitored, revealing that the ChatGPT group exhibited the lowest neural activation, leading to poorer memory retention and engagement compared to the others. When this group later attempted essays without AI, their performance declined further, illustrating the concept of “cognitive debt.” This decline echoes the broader societal trend where reliance on technology diminishes memory and cognitive skills, contrasting sharply with experiences of those who predated smartphones and the internet, who relied on memorization for daily tasks. While AI and technology offer conveniences, over-reliance could ultimately impair our mental faculties.

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