A new MIT study found that using AI chatbots like ChatGPT to help write essays leads to much lower brain activity compared to writing without any digital help or even just using a search engine. The research team, led by Dr. Nataliya Kosmyna, had college students write essays under three conditions: unaided, with a search engine, or with OpenAI’s GPT-4o, while monitoring their brain activity using EEG headsets.
Key Findings:
Students who used only their own brains showed the strongest and most widespread brain activity.
Those using a search engine had moderate brain engagement.
The group using ChatGPT had the lowest brain activity—up to 55 Percent lower than the unaided group—indicating less cognitive effort and weaker memory formation.
When tested later, ChatGPT users remembered less about what they wrote and felt less ownership over their work.
Students who started with AI support struggled more when asked to write without it, while those who first worked unaided performed better when later given AI tools.
Implications:
The researchers warn that relying on AI early in the learning process may make it harder to deeply learn and remember information. They suggest students should first try to understand and process information on their own before using AI tools to enhance their work.
Dr. Kosmyna stresses the importance of teaching students to develop their own thinking skills before turning to AI, as overuse could quietly erode memory, critical thinking, and brain activity.
