A study published under the title “Your brain on chatgpt: accumulation of cognitive debt when using an Ai Assistant for Essay Writing Task” (PDF) by researchers from the MIT Lab investigated the effects of large language models on the human brain.
Artificial intelligence can cause brain atrophy
A study on commissioned by Microsoft in April showed that excessive use of generative AI has a negative influence on critical thinking and at the same time limits creativity. A recent MIT study not only confirms these findings, but also shows that the consequences can be even more radical.
The general result is a decrease in brain activity, in which people who often use AI show lower cognitive performance. The researchers also confirm that it is critical interviewing of content, which leads to an “echo chamber effect” in which someone only encounters information or opinions that reflect and strengthen their own beliefs (“Confirmation Bias”). This, in turn, results in a reduced dialogue about different views, political polarization and more loneliness.
How the research was conducted
54 test subjects (aged 18 to 39) were divided into three groups, each of whom had to write a set. The first group had to use generative AI models such as Chatgpt or Google Gemini to complete the task.
The second group was allowed to use search engines to find information, while group three had no tools at their disposal. This was followed by a second round in which all test subjects had no access to aids.
In addition to the aforementioned effects, it turned out that test subjects in the first group became frustrated faster and achieved poorer results than the other groups.
It should be noted that the investigation has not yet been assessed by experts. Long -term results are also missing. However, if studies continue to prove that the use of generative AI models leads to reduced brain activity and critical thinking in the long term, this could have countless consequences for society and human development in the future.
