ChatGPT use linked to cognitive decline, research reveals

People who relied on ChatGPT to write an essay ‘consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic and behavioral levels,’ according to the study.

Relying on the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT to help you write an essay could be linked to cognitive decline, a new study reveals.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab studied the impact of ChatGPT on the brain by asking three groups of people to write an essay. One group relied on ChatGPT, one group relied on search engines, and one group had no outside resources at all.

The researchers then monitored their brains using electroencephalography, a method which measures electrical activity.

The team discovered that those who relied on ChatGPT — also known as a large language model — had the “weakest” brain connectivity and remembered the least about their essays, highlighting potential concerns about cognitive decline in frequent users.

“Over four months, [large language model] users consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels,” the study reads. “These results raise concerns about the long-term educational implications of [large language model] reliance and underscore the need for deeper inquiry into AI's role in learning.”

A new study out of MIT shows the use of ChatGPT and other large language models could contribute to decreased cognitive function (AFP via Getty Images)

The study also found that those who didn’t use outside resources to write the essays had the “strongest, most distributed networks.”

While ChatGPT is “efficient and convenient,” those who use it to write essays aren’t “integrat[ing] any of it” into their memory networks, lead author Nataliya Kosmyna told Time Magazine.

Kosmyna said she’s especially concerned about the impacts of ChatGPT on children whose brains are still developing.

“What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in 6-8 months, there will be some policymaker who decides, ‘let’s do GPT kindergarten,’” Kosmyna said. “I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental. Developing brains are at the highest risk.”

But others, including President Donald Trump and members of his administration, aren’t so worried about the impacts of ChatGPT on developing brains.

Trump signed an executive order in April promoting the integration of AI into American schools.

“To ensure the United States remains a global leader in this technological revolution, we must provide our Nation’s youth with opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology,” the order reads. “By fostering AI competency, we will equip our students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society.”

Kosmyna said her team is now working on another study comparing the brain activity of software engineers and programmers who use AI with those who don’t.

“The results are even worse,” she told Time Magazine.

The Independent has contacted OpenAI, which runs ChatGPT, for comment.