Exploring AI's impact on cognitive engagement
MIT researchers found that students using ChatGPT for writing had less brain activity than those writing on their own or with Google.
The study tracked 54 young adults as they wrote SAT-style essays over four months, monitoring their brainwaves to see how different tools affected thinking.
How different tools affected thinking
Students who wrote without any digital help showed the most activity in areas linked to creativity and memory.
Those using Google were somewhere in the middle.
But students relying on ChatGPT mostly copied answers, which led to lower-quality essays and less critical thinking.
AI can make things easier
Editing with ChatGPT after first drafting on your own actually boosted brain engagement, but starting with AI made it harder to remember what you'd written.
So, while AI can make things easier, doing your own work first helps keep your mind sharp.